Only Human
by Verse12
Summary: Ranma-DBZ-ElHazard, Ranma was sent on a trip out of this world, now he returns with some friends. But he isn't the boy he was and his trip home changes him even more.
1. Prologue: Lives Change

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Only Human

By Verse12

Verse12 (at) hotmail (dot) com

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Disclaimer: I do not own these characters nor do I claim too, this is a simple fan based homage. Their creators and the companies they work for and with own the characters and all that pertains to them. (I.E. Rumiko Takahashi, Viz, Shougakukan, Pioneer LDC, Hiroki Hayashi, Ryoe Tsukimura, Akira Toriyama, Naoko Takeuchi, Toei Animation, DiC) This is just fans of the shows expressing their love for it for fun; no profit is involved or expected thank you.

Note: Revised 7/16/07 to 8/29/08 Grammar and spelling mostly with some dialogue changes and a lot of added text.

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Prologue One:

Lives Change

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A pale haired woman in tattered Genie like clothing sat slumped against a chain link fence. As the sun rose and cast it's a golden glow on Shininome High School she wept quietly.

Her name was Ifurita; she was a combat android of great power from the ancient past of an alternate world known as El-Hazard

'The teachers should be here soon, and then the students, I wonder what they will say', she thought.

'A teacher and three students disappear in the night,' she reflected, 'And it's all my fault.

'The circle had to be complete, I sent Makoto and his friends to El-Hazard last night so they could in turn gain their powers and help defeat the Bugrom, and free me.' She thought, 'I was then able to then save them from the out of control, eye of god.'

'In saving them though I was lost to the farthest reaches of time and space and ended up on earth thousands of years ago, so when Makoto found me I could then send then to El-Hazard.

"But now…" she mumbled under her breath, "now he's gone and I'm stuck here and without my power key staff and I have no way to recharge."

She had gained memories from the young man who had freed her, when he used his power to link his mind with machines so she knew that it would not be a well-received event to have teachers and students who had just up and disappeared. With her head down, she wondered how much time she had left, even going into a suspended animation state her last wind up recharge was over ten thousand years ago.

'At least Makoto is safe and happy that will have to be enough for me. We met and his love set me free, free of thousands of years of control by various masters. I still can't believe that he could look beyond what I was and see me on the inside.'

"I can't believe I have a me on the inside," she mumbled in a dazed tone of voice, "I always thought I didn't even have a soul. How did he see something in me that I didn't even know I had myself?"

She looked up at the sun once more and thought that it would be nice if Makoto could be here with her to see its beauty. A sad smile adorned her face as her pale hair covered her eyes when she looked back down.

After a second though her face crinkled up in confusion as the light on her changed as if cut off by something. She glanced up so as to see what had changed, the thought that maybe she should leave the area before anyone showed up for school crossed her mind. As her eyes rose though she had to stop in wonderment her heart had frozen in her chest, she could not breathe for fear of dispelling this thing of beauty that was before her. For there before her stood her Makoto, as quick as she could in her current state she took off in a stumbling run straight for him. Tears streamed from her eyes as she raced for him and threw herself in his arms and cried her eyes out

With the tears that trailed down her cheeks, she cast her gaze up to his smiling face "I told you I would come for you." Is all he was able to say, before he leaned into her tear streaked face to kiss her and the most powerful feeling she could imagine burst from within her chest. The emotions that were created from this act of love were almost too strong for her to believe.

After an eternity of bliss with the lights of trans-reality transit that flickered about them with luminescent beauty, the kiss ended though much too quick for the both of them. After a time her mind slowly restarted and the only thing she could utter was a mumbled, "Wow."

"What happened? How did you get here?" The android woman asked a few moments later in a confused tone of voice.

Makoto smiled at her and replied, "Well it's something like this."

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A couple of minutes later.

Ifurita looked on in wonderment as she touched his face "you do look older?" She said in confusion and he did, he now stood about 5'10'' (1.62 Meters) with a lean yet muscular frame. His hair was a little longer and shaggy but still well kept and his eyes still twinkled with love, understanding and his fierce intelligence.

"Well it's been three years for me Ifurita," he replied as he reached out and caressed her cheek with his hand.

He doesn't notice her shock as he continued, "I thought it would be harder to find you after so long. You didn't look so good when you sent us to El-Hazard."

He used his thumb to wipe away her tears "I've been so worried about you, about how you were surviving by yourself on Earth," he continued

Then in confusion he asked her "Why are you still here at the school after so long

To his bewilderment Ifurita replied, "Makoto I just sent you to El-Hazard a few hours ago?"

"A FEW HOURS AGO!" He repeated in shock.

After some time a thoughtful look appeared on his face "I see" he mumbled "some kind of time dilation effect maybe."

Makoto realized that Ifurita was still leaning against him to hold herself up, "Oh jeez Ifurita I'm sorry here turn around let me wind you up I'm sure you must need it."

"Thank you Makoto" she replied with a shy smile as she turned around and lifted the tails of her waistcoat out of the way.

Raising the power key staff he had used to guide his journey to Ifurita, Makoto inserted the tip into the socket at the base of her spine. "Just hold on a second Ifurita you'll be all right in a bit" he said while he placed a hand on her shoulder reassuringly.

"Thank you," Ifurita said and put her hand on top of his and gave it a loving squeeze "I love you so much Makoto. You are too good to me," she said while she looked down "I know that I don't deserve you but I thank you so much for your love anyway."

"Ifurita," Makoto began as he came around in front of her and gave her a hug as she cried on his shoulder.

"I don't care about the things you did before, you didn't have a choice and you know it. The important thing is that when you did have a choice you did the right thing."

They looked into each other's eyes and kissed once more "I'll never forget what you've done for me Makoto."

He smiled at her to try to change the mood, "Enough of that Ifurita I love you for who you are… Now," he said as he placed his forehead on hers "let's get you wound up and go back to everyone in El-hazard, okay?"

"Okay Makoto" Ifurita replied as Makoto stepped back and grasped the power key staff once more

"Alright now hold on," Makoto smiled before he began to turn the staff

"One," he said. Light began to flicker inside the incandescent globes attached to the staff.

"Two," lightning started to flicker up and down the staff.

"Thr…" he began to say before a loud shout of "CRAP" resounded from above them. Makoto looked up to see a red blur as it came straight at them.

With a loud boom the blur crashed between him and Ifurita, right onto the power key staff. The staff was ripped from Ifurita's back and caused her to cry out in pain, energy spilt out of the socket set in the base of her spine.

As Makoto fell back the staff was ripped from his hands and a red headed figure could be seen lying motionless at the bottom of the newly formed crater before him. After a moment the red headed girl got up slowly, several bandages that were wrapped around her from old wounds began to fall off.

She stood there for moment and then she began to feel around in her pants pockets and muttered, "Ah crap made me lose my wallet, stupid tomboy."

She shook her head disgustedly but stopped after pain from the action caused her to wince. Then with disgust that oozed from her voice the busty red head exclaimed, "She didn't have ta hit me all the way out here, s'gonna take forever ta get back."

"This's been the absolute worst day I've had in a long time, can it get any worse?"

Just as Makoto was about to ask what in the world was going on, a hiss and flicker of light caught his eye. He and the girl looked down, and saw that the power key staff was sitting at her feet and was cracked and sparking energy while it mixed with the still flickering inter-reality energy that surrounded the area. Their eyes rose to meet each other as the red head muttered "Ah crap, I had to say that and jinx everything." Before a blinding flash resounded and filled the area, and caused Makoto to raise his hand to his eyes to protect them from the flash.

When the light cleared the girl was gone, with wide eyes Makoto looked at the crater in front of him before he looked over to Ifurita as she sat up from where she had fallen.

"Oh, Oh" was his only statement as he locked eyes with his love.

That is till Ifurita pointed a shaky finger behind him. When he turned around his eyes, impossible, as it seems got even larger. Because lying unconscious on the ground behind him was all of his friends that were supposed to be in El-Hazard, plus Jinnai and a half dozen Bugrom "Oh boy."

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Meanwhile somewhere else,

"Hey, Hey, you okay" a voice vibrated in the head of the red headed girl lying in a crater. She rose onto her hands and knees and then into a sitting position slowly and in obvious pain she asked, "What's going on? I feel so weak." As she sat back, her eyes alighted on a small boy in a blueish / purple gi with a wild mane of black hair that stuck up in all directions and he had a brown tail that wagged behind him.

"What did you say kid," the girl asked.

"I said you okay? Where did you come from anyway? You just popped outta nowhere. How did you do that? Hey what are you anyway? Why do you have a butt on your chest? I'm Goku, what's your name?" The boy babbled at about a mile a minute.

Eyes wide the girl looked at the boy with confusion, her eyes crossed in confusion at the multitude of questions, "what's that? Butt on my chest? Goku? What?"

He leaned into her face in an innocent way and looked on questioningly, "so what's your name?" His close presence caused the girl to lean back "I… I don't know… I can't remember… I can't remember anything!" Exclaimed the girl in confusion her eyes were wide as she looked at the boy.

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Prologue Two:

El-Hazard: The Past & The Future

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Makoto Mizuhara was an average young man, he was average height, average weight, average appearance, average everything. Till one day something… Extraordinary occurred

He went to Shininome High School, like always which was an average Japanese school like any of a thousand others. But this school had something no others did; something of great archaeological significance was discovered under the basement floor. A temple or something like one, was hidden there, something so ancient it had never been seen before.

One night he had to stay late for reasons that don't really matter now, time itself seemed to freeze. Except for him everything else just stopped, and he was called to the ancient ruins by a manner he could not understand

Once there a panel opened and a woman stumbled forth. She was more beautiful than any woman he had ever seen, she had pale skin that glowed in the dim light. Her light lavender hair fell in waves on her shoulders, and though her odd clothing hung about her in tatters it did little to hide her petite yet voluptuous frame

Her eyes opened and when she focused on him it was with the single most loving and adoring look he had ever seen in his life. She told him she had been waiting for him for ten thousand years. But at his confused reply she responded as though hurt that he did not even know her. As he tried to find out what was going on she stepped back raised her arms and told him she was almost out of power and that with her last bit of strength she would send him to El-Hazard. A light flashed and he seemed to be falling through a tunnel of light and shadow.

What followed was an adventure beyond anything he had ever imagined. He was not alone in his journey to this new world, one of his teachers Mr. Fujisawa, who had a bit of a problem with alcohol and cigarettes, was drawn along with him. A good friend of his Nanami Jinnai who was a lot like Nabiki but more moral and without the shady business deals, ended up in a desert region of El-Hazard, While her slightly disturbed older brother ended up in the region that was controlled by the vicious Bugrom Empire, A race of sentient insectiod creatures.

The trip itself seemed to have changed them Mr. Fujisawa gained great physical power but only when he refrained from liquor. Nanami gained the ability to see through illusions, which came in handy against a group of blue skinned people they ended up having to fight called the Shadow Tribe which had the power of illusion. Her brother Katsuhito, had mega-maniacal tendencies to begin with, and after a bit of confusion and some fast talking he convinced the beautiful Bugrom Queen that he would be the general that would lead them to conquer all that is. This was helped by the fact that he gained the ability to speak and understand the Bugrom language

Makoto though gained the power to directly link his mind with machines so that he could operate them or find anything wrong with them and in some cases he could fix internal programming issues.

He and Mr. Fujisawa ended up in the kingdom of Roshtaria, a wonderful land ruled by two Princesses' the beautiful, wise and kind Princess Rune Venus and her younger sister… Fatora. Fatora by chance happened to look just like Makoto but with long hair, appearance though was the only thing that they were similar in. Fatora had a VERY strong love of the female form and she would try virtually anything she could to get what she wanted.

With war with the Bugrom threatening a strong political front was need. The only problem was Fatora was missing and though it was unknown at the time she was in fact kidnapped by the Shadow Tribe. So Makoto was… convinced to play the role of Fatora. Makoto\Fatora was joined by Mr. Fujisawa and Fatora's very amorous 'friend' the petite Alielle. Also accompanying them was Ura a species of feline that can flatten itself and wrap around someone so that her very hard skin can serve as living armor. As Fatora he was to go on a mission to Mt. Muldoon where three priestess lived, each had a device that controlled an element of nature, the oldest and most desperate for a husband Miz Mishtal the priestess of water. After her was the priestess of wind the very intellectual Afura Mann and the youngest, the priestess of fire, with hair and attitude to match, Shayla-Shayla.

El-Hazard was once long ago a very technologically advanced culture, far beyond us. But long ago a great war devastated the land, and now all that remained were relics of that era. And sadly most of those were weapon systems. The devices used by the priestess' to give them their elemental powers came from this era, as was the so called 'eye of god' a giant mechanical moon that hung low in the sky.

Only the priestess' could open the gateway to the eye so that the weapon could be used against the Bugrom. So that was Makoto\Fatora's mission to get to them and convince them to open the eye.

In the process of doing this he had several clashes with Jinnai and his five Bugrom elite. Which the juvenile general named after the Marx brothers and the extra one he named Margret. He also found His friend Nanami who was doing her best to make her living by selling bentos. Miz Mishtal began to fall for Mr. Fujisawa while Shayla-Shayla and Nanami began to compete over Makoto, much to his embarrassment.

Before he could take the priestess to the eye Jinnai made them think he was going after another super powerful weapon system known as Ifurita. This was a trick though as in their race to stop the Bugrom general they led him straight to Ifurita's hiding place and in a long drawn out battle Jinnai took control of Ifurita. The twist though was when Makoto saw Ifurita he was shocked; it was the same woman that had sent them to El-Hazard in the first place. Her attitude though was nothing like the woman he had met so briefly under Shininome High. She was a cold calculating combat android, and wasted no time in destroying whole cities at Jinnai's command. Every technique used against her was quickly turned back around. Even the priestesses were useless, as Ifurita had the ability to instantly not only copy but improve upon anything she saw.

Eventually Makoto was able to touch Ifurita and his power broke the circuit that made her obey her master, he freed her soul. Ifurita quickly turned against Jinnai and sided with Makoto in the fight though she was greatly weakened. The merging of souls drew Makoto and Ifurita together and they soon after began to fall in love.

Before things could settle down though it was revealed that the Shadow Tribe had gained control of the eye which was discovered to be dimensional cannon and was going to use it against everyone in a mad bid for revenge for some long ago slight.

In the end the Shadow Tribe was completely destroyed as were almost all of the Bugrom only Jinnai his elite as well as Queen Diva survived. But the eye wouldn't stop, it was running rampant, Makoto was going to use his power to merge with the eye and shut it down. Before he could do this though Ifurita showed up and sacrificed herself to stop the eye with Makoto's own power which she had copied. In stopping the eye Ifurita was cast randomly through realities, eventually she came to rest on earth long ago. There she rested until Makoto himself found her and she could complete the circle by sending him on the journey to her younger self.

Makoto meanwhile spent several years on El-Hazard seeking a way back to Ifurita. He had many adventures and misadventures including meeting a second Ifurita class android and a brief trip to a third reality. And dealing with Mr. Fujisawa's marriage to Miz, their subsequent baby and her retiring from the priestess'. Of concern as well was Miz's replacement a young woman named Quaull who had a severe bug phobia and a crush on Makoto. But through it all and despite the amorous attentions of Nanami, Shayla and Quaull he stayed loyal to Ifurita.

Until finally he discovered how to return to earth and Ifurita. We pick up as Makoto prepares to travel across realities to get to Ifurita whom he left at his old school years ago

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El-Hazard: during prologue one

Nanami Jinnai straightened Makoto's coat and smiled at her childhood friend, she'd loved him for a long time but as time went on and he never faltered in his love for Ifurita she gradually accepted it. She didn't like it mind you but she accepted it unlike Shayla-Shayla who never had, but Nanami had come to realize that she wanted Makoto to be happy even if that is not with her

She smiled up at him; "Now you go get her and bring her back, okay?" she said and kissed him on the cheek

Makoto looked down at her "You know you could come with me and see your family and stuff."

Nanami looked away and mumbled "I know . . . but now that you have finally mastered the staff we can go back at anytime . . . I just don't want to disturb your reunion with her." She may have accepted his love for Ifurita but she still didn't want to see it.

"All right everyone stand back, I should be back before too long" he smiled at all his friends, Mr. Fujisawa and his family, the priestess', the princesses and Alielle "Goodbye." He stated before he waved the power key staff and disappeared in a flash of light.

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Meanwhile hidden in some bushes while they watched the proceedings the self-proclaimed ruler of El-Hazard Katsuhito Jinnai seethed in anger. "Why that no good rotten Makoto, he's going back earth for Ifurita, he knows he could never defeat me without the edge she gives him. I have to do something to stop him, but what?"

"Gregrang mur grong tang" whispered the Bugrom named Groucho in his gravelly bass tone of voice, while speaking the language of his species.

"I know that you fool, and I am keeping quiet, we just have to keep him from returning with her somehow," Jinnai said in to loud voice.

His musings were cut short by a quiet buzzing. "Grangg fre" Groucho said as he handed a small Bugrom about the size of a hand to Jinnai.

"What, Oh Diva's on the telebug? Why now of all time, Uh, I guess I better give her the news."

"Yes Diva what is it," he muttered

"Mr. Jinnai, what is your report on your reconnaissance of Roshtaria," the Bugrom Queen stated regally

She and Jinnai were both holding a matching set of Bugrom recently breed to duplicate a device Jinnai described from earth. The two bugs take sound and change it to a telepathic signal that is then sent between the two, they are then converted into sound once more.

"Diva it seems that the wretch Mizuhara has gone to get Ifuri…" the rest is cut off as they are blinded by a flash of light. Everyone thought that this must mean that Makoto had returned.

His friends and Jinnai looked over to see his arrival only to be rendered unconscious as the light grew and a familiar sensation of flying down a tunnel occurred.

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Prologue Three

Shadow's Dawn

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After the flash from Ranma's departure cleared a cloaked figure stood proudly on top of Shininome high school, he grinned and looked away from the scene. He turned to a female figure that had a staff with a glowing ball on top, and asked her, "Your majesty were will the foolish boy end up?"

With an evil grin the woman remained cloaked in shadow as the reddish ball on her staff glowed evilly, "does it matter my General?"

The male figure's white cloak pooled around him as he suddenly kneeled at her feet, "forgive me my Empress; I was not trying to question you. I was just troubled of the eventuality of him someday returning to oppose you, as I know you were concerned of him doing before you so handily disposed of him."

"Kunzite… worry not of my reactions," the woman smiled coldly in the dark, "I am not like that fool Beryl. I actually use my brain to accomplish my goals, unlike her. I will not fault you for showing forethought toward our cause."

"Of course my Empress, my life for yours," the dark kingdom General professed his duty to his liege.

"Yes… yes your life is mine, as it should be, as it always should have been," the dark woman stated. And with a slightly less evil smile she continued, "And in answer to your question as to the chaotic one's destination, I could not care less. He will never return, and when the android soon goes for him… she will be lost as well."

"Brilliant my lady," Kunzite effused as the woman regally signaled him to stand.

"Come let us depart, my General," the woman stated with a wave of her staff as she opened a portal to another place. "Tell me Kunzite, what of Beryl's plans? Is everything going according to schedule?"

"Yes my lady, as you said she would, she has directed Jadeite to gathering energy for her use," the white haired General said as they passed through the event horizon of the vortex.

With that she paused and looked back at the General, "inform him I require his presence as soon as possible, but have him maintain his deception as to his true allegiances towards the fool Beryl, make sure he does not draw attention to himself."

"Yes my Empress, it shall be done," Kunzite stated with a bow.

"Also are Nephlite and Zoicite ready for their parts in our little deception?" The evil woman questioned.

"Yes my Empress, all is in readiness. We shall do our part," Kunzite said with an evil grin.

"And when the foolish priestess's of El-hazard do what I know they will, we shall have everything set for finishing off Beryl once and for all, then very few things will ever try to stand in our way after that," the staff wielding woman said with a feral smile.

With another pause the woman looked back at the other end of the portal they had just stepped into, and she can just make out the stirring El-Hazardian natives down on the ground. She saw Makoto and the android as they woke up the passed out and unexpected visitors. She chuckled darkly as she saw Jinnai's reactions to being back on earth as he jumped up and commanded the Bugrom to retreat from his foes.

"That Jinnai boy may be a nuisance," she mused, "that is until we can get through with making him, all he and the Bugrom shall become in the new order," she spoke with a cold, cold glare.

Nodding his agreement Kunzite commented, "Queen Diva I see was also pulled along with… what was it? Oh yes a telebug signal," he said with a chuckle at the idea of such a thing.

She looked back at him and nodded "yes she is unconscious over in those bushes; unfortunately we must tolerate her presence… for now."

"I see the fool Fujisawa found the chaotic one's wallet," the dark General stated.

"All is indeed progressing as planned, in short order they will move the bulk of them into the former shrine, where Sailor Mars would have lived," the evil Empress spoke.

"Yes," Kunzite replied with a sinister smile, "had she ever actually been born, and of course had the poor, poor grandfather not died of a… broken heart," he finished with a laugh.

"Thus leaving the Cherry hill temple abandoned for the mount Muldoon women to occupy as planned," the woman said equally pleased but less vocal in her replies.

With a final look back, the malevolent two turned around and stepped completely through the vortex into a darkened room. With a dull snap the portal closed behind them as the dark General followed his mistress, "one thing still vexes me my General," she stated with a quiet tone of voice.

"Yes my Empress?" he asked suddenly very leery.

"Have you made any progress in dealing with Sailor-V?" she questioned with a forced nonchalance.

With an audible gulp Kunzite stammered, "no my Empress, whatever has hidden her from your sight for so long makes finding her very difficult."

With an angered sigh the Empress turned toward the General, "I have an almost infinite level of patience my dear General. And I realize I have hampered your movements by forcing you to pretend you still obey Beryl. But I am most displeased by the lack of results, by all four of you on this matter. And while at present all she is doing is hampering Beryl and drawing her ire, in time she will become a problem for us."

"I will do my bes…" the General began only to be sharply cut off by the evil woman, "JUST GET IT DONE!" she barked.

"Yes my Empress," he stated and collapsed to one knee at her feet.

With a sigh of exasperation she indicated for him to rise once more, "yes, yes, let us be on our way, we don't have all the time in the world," she said with an ironic chuckle.

After a minute of walking she muttered under her breath, to low for Kunzite to hear, "How she and the cat have remained hidden for so long I cannot fathom though."

"Soon my queen all your plans shall reach fruition and all of your enemies will either join you or be crushed beneath your heel," the General said with devoted fervor as they entered a large dark throne room.

"Yes, yes they shall," the still hidden woman said as she reached the large dark green throne and reclined lazily upon it, the staff resting at her finger tips in front of her, her malevolent gaze on all before her. 'And with Ranma and soon Ifurita out of the way,' she thought 'nothing can stop my rise to power.'

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To Be Continued

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End Notes:

In case you did not know yes Ranma is in Dragon Ball, it's about 2 years before Bulma shows up.

Let me know what you think, later.

Signed: Verse12


	2. Chapter 1 : A Simple Little Trip

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Only Human

By Verse12

Verse12 (at) hotmail (dot) Com

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Disclaimer:

I do not own these characters nor do I claim too, this is a simple fan based homage. Their creators and the companies they work for and with own the characters and all that pertains to them. (I.E. Rumiko Takahashi, Viz, Shougakukan, Pioneer LDC, Hiroki Hayashi, Ryoe Tsukimura, Akira Toriyama) This is just fans of the shows expressing their love for it for fun; no profit is involved or expected thank you.

Note: Revised 7/15/07 thru 8/29/08

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Chapter One

A Simple Little Trip

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One Month after Ranma's Disappearance,

The Tendo Dojo

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Makoto and Ifurita stood on the porch that overlooked the koi pond and watched all of Ranma's friends and family and their antics. A familiar scene to Makoto by now, but this time it is not him that stood in the center of attention. It is Ifurita; he walked up to her and took her shoulders in his hands while he looked into her eyes. "Ifurita, are you sure you're ready."

"Yes, she's ready so please can you get Ran-Chan," Ukyo blurted out nervously with a sense of urgency.

"For once I must concur with the low born cook, enough time has been wasted as it is I burn for the presence of my darling Ranma-sama," Kodachi enthused though strangely less exuberant than her usual manic nature.

"Get husband now, windup girl, or Shampoo make sorry, time is wasting"

"Shampoo my love don't you see now that Saotome is out of the picture we can be together," Mousse exclaimed to a large fern. A bonbori to the skull quickly shut him up though, "stupid Mousse."

"I don't care what you do," Akane said, "I am just glad that those PERVERTS are gone" she said in a huff. "They are gone right," Akane asked suddenly in an almost desperate tone.

"Yes," Ifurita replied with a sigh "I returned Alielle and the two princesses along with Quaull to El-Hazard this morning. The others from El-Hazard have chosen to stay at that old empty temple in Juban district for a while."

"Those two were more of a handful than gramps is," Nabiki mused with her usual sardonic wit as she leaned against the wall.

"Rune-sama was very nice," Kasumi stated "but Fatora she was not… very nice, very high spirited but not very nice."

"She was a little too nice if you ask me… two huge perverts I tell you." Akane grumbled, "I tell you though, now that I've seen perverts that bad I almost feel bad for calling Ranma one for so long. Even he doesn't deserve to be compared to those two, I didn't even know girls could be perverts," she finished her rant in a mumble.

"If we could get back to the issue at hand," Nodoka interrupted.

"Yes Miss Ifurita please go get Ranma so we can have his and Akane's wedding." Soun interjected

"Yes as soon that no good son of mine returns, he will fulfill family honor," Genma yelled.

As soon as the fight that broke out at these statements was concluded Nodoka implored everyone to once again get back on track, so that Ranma could be found. This statement was loudly derided by a moronic swordsman who was quickly launched across the block, and a small pig who squealed out a denial before it ran away to find some hot water.

"Child you obviously had a reason for this summons beyond simply for us to watch your departure," Cologne said.

"Yes elder," Ifurita replied nervously, her statement drew the stares of the squabbling brood known as the Nerima Wrecking Crew.

"What is wrong with my son, have you lost the trail you said you had on him," Nodoka questioned in sudden fright.

"No not that ma'am, I still have a lock on the trans-reality trail he left," stated Ifurita, "we still don't know why he didn't just get switched with the others when they came here from El-Hazard but we have a… course I guess you could say for me to trace."

"The problem is… Makoto could you?"

"Okay dear, everyone when we came here a month ago we confided in you our story of what happened with us in El-Hazard, okay?"

At their affirmative nod he continued, "You helped us with our problems finding a place for my friends to stay and getting papers for them, and I thank you for that. But as you know it took several weeks for the power key staff to self-repair and regenerate its charge. But now that it is finished and I've been able to recharge Ifurita she was at last able to test her abilities by taking the princesses back to El-Hazard. And during that time we discovered that the same amount of time had passed between the two worlds."

"But you said that before, three years had passed in El-Hazard while only a night passed here," Nabiki said in confusion as she picked up on the discrepancy.

"That's the problem we wanted to bring up, the time dilation seems to be inconstant."

"So what you are saying is that… oh my," Nabiki exclaimed as she realized the problem.

"You see what I'm getting at don't you a month has passed here but wherever Ranma is it could have been a minute since he left or…" Makoto trailed off.

"Or ten thousand years," Cologne Finished.

"Oh no, my boy," Nodoka cried out she wept heavy tears. She grabbed onto Genma and soaked his gi with her tears

This is the only sound that was made after this ominous statement. Before the flood of comments could come Makoto continued "But don't worry, if worst comes to worst Princess Rune has authorized the use of the eye of god, it will be necessary to use it to power an accurate time jump, and with my and Ifurita's abilities manipulating it, the correct breach in the time barrier should be possible."

Sighs of relief were heard throughout the room, all of the rivals that would have been upset over this statement were either absent, lost or unconscious.

"So you will find him right," Akane said quietly. "Not that I care mind you," she commented quickly.

"Yes we will find him, it may take some time, but we will find him, we just wanted to warn you of all the possibilities. We won't stop looking for him no matter what," Ifurita stated with conviction. "I don't know exactly where he is on that world so it may take some time and even if we have the right time the time dilation will affect me as well."

With a snort Nabiki commented, "If you have trouble finding him just look for the chaos and you'll find him."

"I will take that under advisement," Ifurita said in all seriousness, much to the consternation of the others.

"Ifurita, you be careful now okay," Makoto said "are you sure you don't want me to come with you."

She smiled at him in love, "no Makoto we have talked about this before. We don't know how things will turn out so it is better if I go it alone for safety sake."

"I understand," Makoto replied quietly before he quickly kissed her and then he stepped back and blushed, "you be careful you understand, this month with you has been the greatest in my life."

Ifurita blushed and replied, "Mine as well Makoto."

"If you two love birds are done maybe you could get this over with so life can get back to normal, okay" Nabiki smirked.

They jumped back from each other and they blushed while they stammered, chuckles were heard from everyone around them. Nodoka walked up to Ifurita and took her hands in hers "you be careful my dear and don't worry, you know I don't blame you for this," all this was said as Nodoka led the Android out to the grass near the koi pond. "Now, go and bring my son back to us my dear," she said with a smile.

"Okay Auntie Saotome," Ifurita smiled "Makoto I will be home soon."

"Oh and take this letter for my son, incase his stubbornness leads him to not listen to your words," Nodoka said.

"Thank you auntie, everyone I will return soon."

Makoto smiled and nodded at her as she floated into the air her staff raised with one hand high above her head. Energy sparked and arced about her, the assembled wrecking crew gasped in astonishment at the casual display of power. Ifurita had been very weak during this past month, Shampoo for one couldn't believe that the weak windup girl she had known for the past month had more energy around her than Ryoga had depression on a bad day. As she thought this Ifurita shot up into the air a large black void formed about her and in a clap of displaced air it and she was gone.

"Well I guess now we wait" was Ukyo's stunned comment.

Cologne was quiet as her mind replayed the events that she had just witnessed. 'Hum,' she thought, 'with all that power I couldn't sense a thing from her. Very interesting the thought of facing someone in battle whom apparently was at least as powerful as Saffron and utterly undetectable would make her a very formidable opponent indeed.'

This lead Cologne to begin making plans for the inevitable, for one fact she knew was that strong fighters attracted even stronger foes for them to fight. 'first Herb, then Saffron and even though she isn't an enemy now Ifurita,' she thought with a frown, 'I will have to be prepared to do anything I can if the worst should come calling from where ever Son-in-Law has gotten himself stranded, even if I have to use THAT technique.'

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DBZ Universe

In a flash of black, a void appeared over the skies of west capital city. As she uncurled from an almost fetal position Ifurita caught herself with her powers she floated in the sky over a city that she did not recognize from either Earth or El-Hazard.

The city was a sprawling mass of glass and steel and what appeared to be transport tubes that ran through the skyscrapers. The architecture had a very rounded feel to it, more domes and such than was used on Earth, and not at all like the onion toped towers of Roshtaria in El-Hazard.

Ifurita looked around and saw a commotion in a large square, Nabiki's comments fresh in her mind she figured this was as good a place to start as any. Ifurita began to float down in a corkscrew pattern while still in a standing position. She alighted behind the crowd and she saw that the masses were watching what appeared to be a large video screen on the side of a building.

Her arrival was unnoticed by the people as she approached the rear of the group. As she began her search Ifurita tapped the shoulder of one of the salary men that watched the screen.

"Excuse me sir could you tell me if you have seen this boy or girl," Ifurita asked as she held up two pictures.

He looked back at the woman in annoyance at someone interrupting this event; he stopped though on seeing the beauty that stood behind him. His mind froze at her pale hair and ice-cold eyes that sparkled with light, the classic lines of her face and her short curvaceous body.

Ifurita prodded the man to answer her question the man finally looked at the photos. To the one of the busty red head he shook his head no but at the one with the picture of the boy he commented.

"He kind of looks like a younger version of one of those fakers," he said while he pointed at the large video screen behind him.

"Fakers?" Ifurita inquired.

"Yah, those troublemakers who keep getting in Hercule's way of defeating that monster Cell."

At her questioning stare, he looked at her like she was crazy.

"You know, Cell?" at her continued incomprehension he asked her "where have you been, that monster has been destroying towns for days now."

"I have been out of contact for a while now, so you say a monster has been destroying towns and this Hercule is being hindered by these supposed fakers from dispatching it, and one of these fakers looks like this boy? Is that your statement?"

"That's about it; the picture ain't so good so it's hard to see those fakers well. Those guys have been using all kinds of weird tricks and stuff. If they would just get out of the way, Hercule would end this like that," the man said while he snapped his fingers.

"Indeed," Ifurita murmured while she turned her attention to the screen. The grainy images showed a blustering man with an Afro as he complained of stomach difficulties. The scene then changed to a large green humanoid creature, this Cell evidently, across from him was a young man with gold hair his face and body was scratched and bruised.

In the background a group of men stood on a cliff, they appeared to be involved in a scuffle, no; several of them were trying to hold down one man. Then she saw the man's face using her advanced eyesight, 'Ranma… it is him,' she thought. 'He's older with a slight scar on his chin, but it is him.' Ifurita smiled at her quick discovery while she ignored the salary man's attempts to flirt with her.

Her smile turned to a frown as she used her enhanced senses on the glimpse of Ranma's face she had seen. The tear streaked face, the snarling angry mouth, and his eyes flared with the fury inside, 'something bad had happened' she thought. She concentrated on his lips and read what he said, 'GOKU NO!' he shouted, 'I need to get there now,' Ifurita thought.

Ifurita turned to the man and quickly asked, "Where is this happening?"

The man was confused by this statement and replied "it's to the east across the great sea and in the barren desert, why?"

"Because I must go there now," Ifurita said to herself with conviction.

The man chuckled and laughed at this strange little woman "well little lady as much as I would like to help you go cheer on Hercule in person all the airports are closed and anyway nothing goes near that area much any way

She glanced at the man like he, was the crazy one "you're continued assistance is not required thank you for your help sir" Ifurita responded.

With this statement Ifurita rose into the air the people in the crowd's jaws dropped open at the sight. With a flare of energy around her Ifurita pulled up her legs, turned to the east and then rocketed off in the direction indicated, with her power key staff pointed ahead of her.

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Back in the Ranma Universe.

Makoto sat by the koi pond and tossed rocks into it with a melancholy look on his face. "You miss her that much?" Akane asked as she came up behind him

"Oh Akane," he replied softly, "yes I do miss her, how about you? Do you miss Ranma?"

"WHAT me miss that…" She began before Makoto cut her off.

"Akane it's just the two of us here, no one will hear you. You forget I was there when we came here to the dojo a month ago. I saw your face when we told you that Ranma was lost in another world. You can lie to yourself and everyone else if you want to but I saw how you truly feel reflected on your face."

"… I… I guess I do kind of, miss him some…" Akane mumbled with a blush. "It's just that even if he can be a jerk at times he's always been there for me even when I treated him bad," Akane said as tears trailed down her cheeks, "I… I just don't want anything bad to happen to him."

"I hope Ifurita will find him, she has too, if I never have a chance to figure out how I feel about him? I don't know what I'll do?" Akane shut up with a deep blush after she realized how much she had said. Akane looked around and tried to see if anyone else had overheard her.

"Akane we're still alone and I won't tell anyone okay," Makoto commented with a smile and a pat on her hand.

"Ifurita is a lucky lady," She replied with a smile.

"So is Ranma," Makoto responded, which caused Akane to blush and giggle at the unintended pun on Ranma's gender dysfunction.

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Meanwhile everyone else is inside gathered around the table as well as they can and sipped the tea and munched on the snacks Kasumi and Nodoka had provided.

Surprisingly it is very quiet even with most of the wrecking crew present in one room, everyone's thoughts are their own as they think on the newest revelations that the visitors from El-Hazard had shared.

This month has opened many eyes and changed some long established misconceptions for many.

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Xian-pu of the Chinese Amazons was not a stupid girl, it may have seemed that way too many due to her way of speaking and her bubbly demeanor but she was in fact quite intelligent. She was defiantly provincial in her attitudes maybe even naive and a little simplistic, but she isn't a bimbo at all. She may play the part at times in order to get her husband to come back with her where they belonged but that was what all of her research had indicated was the best way to land a man.

She realized that this may be her best shot at getting Ranma to agree to their marriage like he should have from the beginning. If he was away from Akane (the kitchen destroyer) Tendo for a long enough time maybe whatever hold she had on him would weaken enough that she could swoop in and show him finally that she was the right choice for him. That is if he was gone long enough to be susceptible to her charms, but not so long that he was all old and gross. This may be exactly the break that she had been looking for.

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Ukyo Kounji was a very troubled young woman, hurt at a young age by her best friend then hurt even more by the lack of true support from her father this led to her quest for vengeance that lasted ten years. But under it all Ukyo was a girl who wanted most of all to be loved and accepted for who she was, gender issues and all, she just wanted to live a happy semi-normal life and her dream of that with Ranma seemed harder and harder to come true. Now Ranma was lost in time and space and though she was worried about him… it didn't seem as heart breaking to her as it should have been. For the last month, that and Ranma's well being had been concerning her and she had thought long and hard over the issue. Last night she came to a conclusion that had shocked her to her core…

Maybe she didn't REALLY love Ranma as much as she thought she did.

Maybe she just loved the idea of being in love with such a strong handsome man who had meant so much to her in her younger years. With that idea came other thoughts that maybe all of her daydreams of her and Ranma working on her okonomiyaki business for the rest of their lives were more on the line of her wishes for the future and not Ranma's. In fact it occurred to her that she had never even once asked him about his dreams, and that hurt her, hurt her deeply. He obviously was lonely after all those years with just his baka of father and he needed a friend more than anything, something she hasn't been very good at.

She also realized that she really didn't know that much about the man she thought she wanted to marry, All they had in their history was a childhood friendship that was over at age six and vague descriptions of some of the things since. She never did find out what he wanted… just like her father never asked what she… wanted.

He had to come back; she had to find some way to settle this once and for all, if she was to ever have closure. She had to find out what her true feelings were for sure and what he wanted, maybe they weren't meant to be.

But maybe sometime in the future, if they could build a real relationship… maybe, they could see.

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Akane Tendo… Akane Tendo was confused.

Ranma was gone… and had been for a month, a whole month. Now he had been gone for that long before, the incident with Herb and the locking ladle for instance, but that was just to another part of Japan. Now he was lost to not only a different reality but another time, in fact he could already have lived his whole life and… and… no she told herself don't think like that. I may not be ready to get married but I do have some kind of feelings for the baka she told herself, what kind she wasn't sure of course. Her ideas of love and marriage have been colored by her experiences, her father's marriage and Genma's marriage of course and then Kuno baka's ideas from before Ranma showed up. All lead to a very distorted idea of love and marriage.

A little growing up though in the last month had helped some, she hopes he is okay and that maybe he could be a little nicer to her after this, she would like that.

Most of all she just wants to see his face once more, just to look at that baka's smirk and to know that he's all right.

Then maybe in time when they were ready… they could see.

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Kodachi was intelligent, beautiful, graceful, cultured and deeply disturbed.

Kodachi Kuno… was Kodachi Kuno, her thoughts ran around like a hamster in a plastic ball. They bounced around and bumped into anything in their path and didn't really understand what it was they were bumping into.

She didn't really see a lot of what happened around her, she saw enough for her and her preconceptions took over from there. In the Kuno household you learned at a very young age that it didn't pay to pay too much attention to reality, you did what you had to keep what you could of your mind intact in a house of madness.

In fact she didn't even really understand why it was she believed she loved Ranma, but the truth of it was she was just hopelessly and desperately lonely for some kind of connection with another human being.

Any kind of connection and she had no clue how to deal with that on a rational level. Not that the other members of the Nerima crew were much better in that regard.

But after the past month, she was confused.

She didn't completely understand what had happened, her families faithful ninja retainer Sasuke had informed her of Ranma's' disappearance and she had flown into a rage over it but as time passed her anger had cooled some. Information had been bought from Nabiki Tendo on the current state of affairs and instead of a quick resolution as usually happens with these things time had dragged on; Kodachi had been forced not only to think but to try to understand.

But a lifetime of disuse is not rectified swiftly and true understanding eluded her like quicksilver.

Now though after a month she had a slight grasp on things, Ranma was lost in some other time and place. He would return hopefully soon, and maybe then he could help her… understand better, maybe they could see if he be her special friend.

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Nodoka Saotome was sick and tired of missing out on her son's life.

She was a very old fashioned woman in a world that seemed to hold little resemblance to the world of her beliefs. She gave up her son to her foolish husband to raise as a man among men as was proper for her beliefs, even to the point of enforcing such a claim with a contract where the penalty was ritual suicide.

And now after so much time and so much loneliness and heartache she was reunited with her son and the contract was finished he truly was a man among men.

Then her new life was stolen from her, just like that, her son was missing to the reaches of time and the multi-verse.

But one thing she knew for absolute certain it was that her son was alive and no matter what happened from now on she would love and support her child in whatever HE wanted to do in life.

…as long as she got her grandchildren of course.

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DBZ Universe

Air was displaced around her as she blasted through the sky, she closed in on the fight in the distance and her enhanced vision zoomed in on the conflict.

'Things look bad,' she thought, 'the boy has a broken arm and is trying to hold off the creatures' assault, At least Ranma seems to be doing better.'

Ifurita increased her speed and zoomed toward the fight, 'I need to help them.'

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Come on Gohan you can do it, take out that green S.O.B." Ranma screamed out. As he tried to give out encouragement he didn't feel, the others stood around all of their hopes pinned on Gohan.

'He has a chance, he does. He needs to just let go and fight. That arm though that is a problem, if only we had the senzu back again,' Ranma thought.

'Goku what were you thinking little brother, we both know that Gohan has the power but I just don't think he has the heart yet, this may be bad for his fighting spirit in the long run. Of course we really don't have a lot of choice in the matter' Ranma thought with a mental shrug.

'Oh Goku what were you thinking, why did you have to sacrifice yourself, we could have found another way.'

'And to top it all off it was all for nothing Cell came back as powerful as ever only now we don't have you or Trunks. Gohan's hurt, and Piccolo and the little $&#! Vegeta don't have the power to hurt him at all. I have to think of something, anything that can help. Maybe a distraction or something then I can get the beans back for Gohan.'

Just then Gohan went flying past everyone; he crashed into a mesa behind them and dropped out of ascended saiya-jin thru super to regular saiya-jin.

Cell floated over to the boy and laughed "really boy did you think you could beat me, I am perfect I'll concede you gave me a good run but even if you didn't have that nasty little boo boo on your right arm you could not have stood against me," Cell taunted condescendingly.

"Maybe I should give you one of these beans, hum? just to be fair. I am so glad I retrieved these off the purple haired one I eviscerated," Cell smiled smugly.

"But no, actually I think I'll just, end this now."

"Now die boy," Cell said as he held out a hand that glowed with power at the battered Saiya-jin youth.

As everyone prepared to rush Cell in hopes of saving Gohan, a pale blue blur blasted thru the area and when it was gone so was Gohan. Ranma sensed Gohan's power had moved to a different location, "Look" he shouted as he pointed into the sky, which caused everyone including Cell to look up.

The sight they beheld is of a woman with a staff consisting of two glowing globes and a strange design on top of it holding Gohan over her shoulder. She looked down at Cell standing some distance away from the others the woman pointed the tip of the staff at him, its multiple prongs sparked and flashed.

"Die" she murmured, and a blast of power lanced down at Cell faster than even he could avoid.

The explosion rocked the band of heroes and a mushroom cloud filled the sky as the pressure wave of displaced air blew rocks and dirt everywhere. Before the blast could fade another then another and another lanced down and rocked the desert landscape. Only then did the pale haired apparition float down to the Z-Senshi as she carried the injured Gohan.

As the group of fighters moved cautiously to this new presence she placed Gohan on the ground gently, before she smiled at the fighters coming near her. "Hello" she greeted them in a melodious tone of voice, her beauty and grace caused Krillan to blush even while he still held an unconscious android 18 in his arms.

She focused her gaze on Ranma as she asked "Ranma Saotome?"

"Yeah?" he replied.

Her smile lit up the blasted landscape with its presence "I am glad to have found you so easy, I am here to take you home."

"HOME?" was the resounding question from all the Z-senshi, even Gohan who had awakened a moment before. Vegeta though just stood there with a frown as usual.

"Yes home, I have arrived none too soon I see," she commented wryly as she gestured to the still smoking landscape.

"But?" Ranma asked "how's that possible even Shen-lon said he can't send me back, because it's beyond this reality?"

Before she could respond though Ranma blurted out suddenly apprehensive, "hey I know you; you're that woman I crashed into when I got sent here."

"Yes that is true and I am sorry for my involvement in your being sent here," Ifurita stated with a slight bow as she tried to defuse a suddenly tense situation.

Ifurita in an attempt to get him out of his defensive posture cautiously reached into her waistcoat and pulled out a letter.

"Ranma your mother thought that you might react like this so she gave me this for you," she said as she held out the letter to him.

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Ifurita looked on as Ranma read the letter with hands that shook and tried to avoid coming to tears over its content, Ifurita cast her gaze about to Ranma's compatriots, besides the boy she rescued, there was the spiky haired short man, the two bald men one was short the other had three eyes? The tall green creature with a stoic stature and a black haired man with several scars on his face all in all the fighters present looked very haggard in appearance.

As Ranma put down the letter and turned to Ifurita he looked her up and down, before he stated "well Ifurita?" at her nod he continued "I guess I'm glad to see you, I didn't know if I would ever even hear from home unless Bulma ever got that cross reality machine she was working on up and running."

"I am happy to be able to help you," Ifurita smiled, this of course caused Krillan and Yamcha to blush, at the pale beauty.

"Girl," Vegeta barked out in anger "how did you do that, what are you, how can we not sense your ki?"

"You can sense life energy? Interesting," she paused for a moment before she looked at him coldly. "To answer your rude questions, first off my techniques are none of your business, as too my life energy you cannot sense my ki because I am an Android."

"AN ANDROID?" The collective Z-senshi exclaimed having had bad experience with androids lately.

Slightly off put by the reaction Ifurita continued, "Yes an android, oh and mister short man." She said as she looked over at Vegeta her expression cooled and darkened like a storm that covered the sun, "I am no girl, I am older and more powerful than you could possibly imagine."

"But I mean you no harm" she explained to the others nicely with a bright smile. "I am here at the bequest of Ranma's friends and family to return him to his world."

Gohan struggled to stand up, once he did though he staggered over too Ranma and grabbed his arm, "Ranma already has friends and family," he said in anger as he looked at Ifurita.

"Gohan?" Ranma questioned as he looked down at his nephew in all but blood.

"I already lost dad, uncle I don't want to lose you too," Gohan said as he grabbed Ranma by the waist in a bone crushing hug.

Ranma patted Gohan's head as he replied "I understand kid I won't go anywhere as long as you need me okay?"

Gohan looked up at his fathers' oldest friend and brother as he choked out "Promise?"

"Yah, I promise kid" Ranma smiled.

"Aw how touching," a snide voice sneered "you really didn't think that measly little blast could hurt me did you?"

As one, the group turned in horror to look on Cell who despite his words appeared to be at least slightly singed.

"Oh no" someone in the group stated.

"Oh yes," Cell sneered "Now my pretty little Android from another world let's see what you can really do, shall we?"

"As you wish," Ifurita affirmed as she floated into the air followed by Cell.

"Hey guys maybe this Ifurita can take out Cell for us I mean with Gohan so hurt and no senzu this is a good thing, right?" Krillan asked with desperate hope.

"Maybe, maybe not" Piccolo's voice rumbled "we'll have to see how well she can fight."

"Stupid girl," Vegeta muttered "like some girl could ever be more powerful than the prince of all Saiya-jin's."

"I don't know, her blast did more damage to Cell than yours did, and didn't number 18 break your leg," Yamcha commented without thinking only to shut up at Vegeta's glare.

"Quiet," Tenshinhan said "they're starting."

The group of warriors backed away from the two artificial life forms directly above them.

Meanwhile high in the air Cell smirked at Ifurita "so shall we dance little one?"

Ifurita's only reply was to nod and flip the power key staff into a firing position, energy built in its power reservoirs and poured out along its length.

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To be continued in:

Chapter Two: Perfect Cell vs. Ifurita

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Endnotes:

So what do you think so far, everyone? Now to let you know I am not at this time going tell all of Dragon Ball and Dragon Ball Z.

The Prologue is the starting point for two separate fics. This fic will deal with a changed Ranma and his quest to… well you'll see. The tale of Ranma's early life with Goku and crew during the first sagas of Dragonball will be told in one story, entitled Big Sister; (An ongoing fic) (which I plan on revising and begin new chapters of, 6/6/08)

This story here picks up one month after the end of the prologue. Things will be different though due to Ranma's and now Ifurita's influence.

So please review thank you.

Signed: Verse12


	3. Chapter 2 : Perfect Cell Vs Ifurita

An Afro followed by a pair of frightened eyes peaked over a rock. "So Hercule," exclaimed a loud voice behind the man which startled him and caused him to yell and spin around. "Great Hercule what's happening now?"

"AH, AH," Hercule stammered for a second before he laughed out obnoxiously though anyone could see he was very nervous, by the sweat running down his face, "that boy's out of it now, some girl is out there trying to use more stupid tricks."

"A girl?" The announcer asked as the cameraman looked up questioningly from his attempts at fixing the overloaded back up camera that had worked for a few minutes before it too had mysteriously exploded like the main one had. "You're going to help her, aren't you Hercule?" the announcer questioned.

"I… I… I would, but… ah… my stomach oh it hurts so bad," he exclaimed as he grabbed his abdomen and groaned in an obviously fake manner.

Any further comments were cut off as a loud explosion occurred in the sky, the effects of which sent everyone tumbling about wildly as they clutched onto anything they could.

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Only Human

By Verse12

Verse12 (at) hotmail (dot) com

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Disclaimer:

I do not own these characters nor do I claim too, this is a simple fan based homage. Their creators and the companies they work for and with own the characters and all that pertains to them. (I.E. Rumiko Takahashi, Viz, Shougakukan, Pioneer LDC, Hiroki Hayashi, Ryoe Tsukimura, Akira Toriyama) This is just fans of the shows expressing their love for it for fun, no profit is involved or expected thank you.

Note: Revised 7/17/07. Grammar and spelling mostly with some minor dialogue changes to help continuity and story flow and some other changes.

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Chapter Two

Perfect Cell vs. Ifurita

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Minutes earlier.

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A blast of energy ripped from Ifurita's staff straight at Cell signaling the start of their fight.

Cell was to fast though as he spun out of the path of the blast. The blast itself though kept on going until it blew up a mountain in the distance.

You have to do better than that girl," Cell screamed out as he zipped forward to attack Ifurita.

She flew backward and tried to dodge Cell's furious punches and kicks; desperately she tried to avoid the super fast limbs that flew at her, their deadly power evident to her senses as they tried to pummel her into oblivion.

Then Ifurita went on the offensive, she used her ability to analyze and replicate techniques on Cell's previous assault, then used those techniques against him. She tried to discover a weakness before he had a chance to land a counter blow. Hand to hand fighting with a being of Cells caliber was not something she had ever had to contend with. So she struggled to keep up with someone who moved faster than the human eye could normally follow.

Meanwhile on the ground the Z-senshi watched the one sided match with some trepidation and dismay.

"She's too slow, she seems to have a lot of power but she's not well versed in using hand to hand evidently," Piccolo muttered.

"Aw man I hoped that she could've taken him out," Krillan exclaimed in a whine.

"I told you that some girl couldn't beat that thing," Vegeta smirked.

"Gohan sit down and rest, you aren't helping anything by trying to be tough." Ranma said as he looked down at the boy who was holding onto his arm as he tried to steady himself on his wobbly legs.

"The punk's right, kid," said Piccolo as he looked at Gohan out of the corner of his eye.

"O… okay uncle, Mr. Piccolo," said Gohan as he collapsed into a slump on the ground.

"Ya kid, you need to rest up it looks like we may need your help after all," Yamcha commented with some fear in his voice.

The stalwart warriors looked at each other in increasing worry before they returned their attention once more to Cell and Ifurita just as Cell shouted out. "Come on girl I thought you would give me at least a little work out, anyone of the weaklings below could do better."

"Of course you are just a female eh" he finished with a demeaning smirk.

Ifurita floated out of Cells reach during his little speech as she ignored his comments. She paused though when he finished and raised her eyes to meet his, then she exclaimed in an oddly cool tone of voice with a smirk, "Evaluation complete, musculature and dexterity compensating, increasing speed and strength to match and exceed opponent in three dimensional hand to hand combat."

"WHAT?" resounded from the throats of all who heard her bizarre statement. There astonishment increased as Ifurita placed the staff behind her hooking it onto her belt, before she disappeared in a burst of speed that rivaled that of anyone they had ever seen.

"What? How?" Cell exclaimed unable to understand her sudden increase in speed and skill. He looked around trying to find her only to be slammed in the back of the head by Ifurita's fist.

After he righted himself he meet her furious onslaught of blows as he tried to block or dodge her sledgehammer like attacks. Finally her new found skills won out and an uppercut is followed up by a dual overhand blow to the back of Cell's neck that sent him to the ground where he crashed with a thunderous boom.

But even as debris rained down on the area Ifurita pulled out her staff and sent a rain of punishing blasts down on the crater he landed in. Before Cell could even think to recover from the brutal physical attack the dozens of punishing streaks of energy pounded down on him, their power exploded in a cacophony of absolute destruction.

Then out of the smoke and dust Cell appeared, slightly more singed, but relatively unhurt. He crouched down in the crater and braced himself on the ground; his hand was on the former sandy soil that was now fused into thick dark glass. He exploded faster than ever before and plowed into Ifurita he used his shoulder to slam into her gut while he screamed out "B#%&H." He grabbed her hair and spun her around in a circle before he threw her to the ground. As Cell watched her shoot toward the ground he dropped the small slip of fabric that she wore on the top her head which had come loose in his grip.

Ifurita caught herself as she landed in a bad fall, she crashed in kneeling position her feet and knee had slammed into the ground and created a small crater about her. The tails of her waistcoat flapped behind her and reveled the socket in her lower back for a split second. She looked up at Cell while still in a crouched position she locked her eyes with his, then she launched herself up at him, she meet him a flurry of blows that moved faster and faster till they were naught but blurs.

They appeared and disappeared as they flashed across the sky, their arms and legs moved in a blur of motion. The thunder of their blows caused waves of pressurized air to crash as they blasted across the desert landscape.

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The Z-senshi stood with their mouths open in astonishment utterly amazed. "How in the world did she get so good so fast," Krillan muttered.

"She said she was evaluating and not only matching but exceeding Cell's abilities," intruded Piccolo's gruff voice in a contemplative fashion. "It seems she has powers similar to Cell's."

"No not actually," Ranma intruded "what I've seen from watching Cell is that he has to have cells implanted in him when he was gestating for him to duplicate their power or techniques." He paused to let the others absorb this before he continued, "Ifurita though, seems to be able to duplicate not only power but techniques from observation only. Plus she seems to have changed her physical power to match Cells to."

"She can't have unlimited power, at a certain level she will be overwhelmed by Cell, and then I the Prince of all Saiya-jin's will be the one to step in and finish the job," Vegeta smirked.

"Whatever you say you stupid S.O.B. I doubt if you could ever do as good as she's doing against Cell," Ranma exclaimed to the arrogant prince.

"YOU STUPID HUMAN I SHOULD SNUFF YOU OUT LIKE THE BUG YOU ARE," Vegeta screamed in a rage as he took his anger at his ineffectualness against cell out against the best target he had. His anger though cooled suddenly and his face turned to a smirk, thinking of a better revenge, with that he mockingly tossed the comment. "Of course at least I have at least some possibility of beating Cell, you on the other hand cannot even defeat the Namek over there, you're just a weak… pitiful… human," he finished in a contemptuous tone.

"I may be human, but... I am... Ranma Saotome, and I, do not lose. Do you hear me, I do not lose, someday; somehow I will find a way to take you down."

"BWHAHAHAHAHA, that is absolutely hilarious little human," Vegeta's smirk turned downright mean as he said quietly "of course in your other form you may make decent breeding stock for a Saiya-jin, maybe the brat will take you as a mate in a few years. I of course wouldn't lower myself, but the boy seems fond of you." He chuckled at Ranma's enraged face, Krillan, Yamcha and Piccolo held him back from attacking the prince of the Saiya-jin. Vegeta glanced up nonchalantly, oh it seems something is happening" He turned his gaze to the sky as he watched the fight Vegeta chuckled to himself.

"I'LL KILL YOU, YOU STUPID $# %!$^% &%$ &*%$&, YOU WILL #$%'n DIE," Ranma screamed out

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"KA ME HA ME HA!" Cell shouted and his blue white blast of energy headed toward Ifurita. With no time to grab her staff for a counter blast Ifurita just held up her arms in an x pattern and tried to block some of the blast with her version of a battle aura.

As the smoke cleared it revealed Ifurita as she stood there, her clothing was ripped and dirty. Soot and smoke covered her hair and face; she lowered her arms and coughed slightly, a small puff of smoke came out of her mouth. Ifurita paused and floated to the ground only to be followed by Cell who settled down across from her.

"Interesting direct energy projection from the hands," murmured Ifurita. "Analysis complete," she smirked at Cell and placed her hand together, she moved them in a very familiar pattern and as they begin to glow she yelled out, "KA ME HA ME HA!"

As Ifurita's blast screamed toward Cell he desperately countered with his own blast,

"KA ME HA ME HA!!!!" he yelled.

Meeting in the middle the two beams fought for dominance as the convergence point moved back and forth. Sweat poured from her brow as she panted with exertion and slid back as her feet dug down into the rocky ground and left furrows behind.

"See girl," Cell yelled out unable to hide his fatigue. "You will never defeat me; you will die screaming you LITTLE PIECE OF NOTHING."

"Shut up you green B*%#d I will win, I have too for Akane and Auntie Saotome, for everyone I... have... too... fulfill my promise to them."

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While this was going on the others watched on with differing emotions.

"She will soon be defeated," Vegeta exclaimed smugly.

"Shut up Vegeta," Ranma muttered "I think she just may be able to it."

"Whatever fool, when she falls then I will step in."

"If she falls then we better hope Gohan is able to step back in," Piccolo interrupted "because he already has shown no one else except this new girl can keep up with him."

Everyone looked over to Gohan as he sat and regained his strength, while he cradled his hurt arm and avoided looking over at the black and red metals that were the remains of the destroyed android 16.

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Ifurita fell to her knees and grit her teeth as she yelled out "FOR MAKOTO." Her Ka-me-ha-me-ha increased in strength and began to push Cell back, which caused him to swear as he began to realize he may yet be overcome by this piece of nothing he wasn't panicking yet because he still had an ace up his proverbial sleeve still.

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"She's doing it," Krillan yelled as he bounced excitedly on the balls of his feet.

Vegeta simply grunted at the thought unhappy at being upstaged especially by some slip of a girl, Piccolo though began to frown.

Gohan leaned over after he saw Piccolo's expression "what's wrong mister Piccolo" he asked. "It looks like things are going our way now."

"Yeah it does, but look closely at Cell he seems to be strangely calm about that fact, I think he may have some trick left in his bag," Piccolo grunted. "I think though that Vegeta may actually have had a point earlier though."

"What do you mean Piccolo-san," Gohan asked.

"She can't have unlimited power, no mortal being can. So the question is will she be able to keep exceeding his power continuously or will he be able to surpass her."

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As Cell was almost overwhelmed he grunted out "well girl looks like you have me, unbelievable, as that seems."

"I told you I would defeat you, you will not harm these that are under my protection," Ifurita said as her systems strained, in the struggle. "I am sworn to return Ranma home to his family" she spat out at him.

Cell smiled an eerie smile and shouted out loudly enough to be heard by all, "very interesting girl thank you for that little scuffle, it actually helps me figure some things out."

He paused and smirked evilly, "Oh and girl remember when I said it looked like you had me," she looked back at him with a confused expression as Cell withdrew a bean from a pouch he had hidden. "LOOKS CAN BE DECEVING!" Cell shouted out evilly. When the Z-senshi saw the bean they began to shout out, to late though as Cell popped the senzu into his mouth. Instantly Cells Ka-me-ha-me-ha was restored to full strength and quickly overwhelmed Ifurita's blast.

Just as she was about to be obliterated Ranma dashed in from the side, he used all his speed and grabbed her on the fly and pulled her away from the blast with everything he had and narrowly avoided being incinerated.

They rolled across the rocky ground as Ranma tried to protect Ifurita from more damage with his own body only to tumble to a stop against a large rock with a crash.

They were scratched and bruised and the two struggled to remain conscious as they labored to catch their breath. Only to feel their blood run cold at the peculiar tone of Cell's feet as they walked across the ground toward them. They glanced up they see Cell as he stood over them with a smirk on his face "nice move boy, futile but nice." He grinned as he held up a hand that glowed and crackled with energy.

Just as he released the blast Ranma jumped so he could try to protect Ifurita even though he knew he wouldn't be fast enough. It was lucky for them that Cells aim was thrown off by blasts that came from Piccolo and Gohan. Cell smirked as he used his superior speed to dash around Ranma and grabbed Ifurita by the neck. He took her as a hostage and caused the approaching duo to hold short.

"Let her go Cell" Ranma yelled out as he winced as Ifurita's breath rasped and her feet thrashed in the air underneath her.

"Just stay back fools," Cell yelled out "I will deal with you later." Cell gasped in pain as Ifurita began to rain blows on his chest and stomach using her still free hands. With an unintelligible roar he changed his hold to one that locked up her hands as well.

Cell looked at Ifurita's pained yet defiant countenance his grin grew wider he then moved his face closer to hers, and sniffed her cheek in a manner that disturbed everyone who saw it. "So little one, you put up quite a fight, much better than even 17 or 18 did plus you're abilities to match powers are even more intriguing to me"

"Yet you also mentioned taking Ranma home as well, hum? No answer? That's okay; you see Doctor Gero knew of Ranma not being of this reality so for you to take him home you must have the power to traverse between realities and that is an ABILITY THAT ONLY I CAN CONTROL YOU LIITTLE B&%#H." With this statement Cells tail, fast as lightning extended out of his back like it used to in his imperfect state. It reached around his hip while the tip of it opened up and began to swallow Ifurita's legs whole like a snake as he began to try to add her power to his even though their systems were not completely compatible with each other.

While Cell talked quietly to Ifurita the others waited for a clear shot to free her. But at Cell's shout and subsequent tail maneuverings they had to spring into action.

Ranma being closest leapt to Ifurita's aid but he was quickly backhanded by Cell and his head snapped back from the force of the blow, his vision blurred with gray spots that danced in front of his eyes. Ifurita pulled one hand free and started to shoot blasts at Cells face but those soon stopped almost as soon as she started them to the surprise of Ifurita, "How?" Her expression turned from confused to frightened though as she looked up at Cell as he defended himself from Piccolo's attacks. "You're hacking my systems?"

A quick blast to Piccolo's chest knocked him back and sent him sliding across the ground. In this brief lull he smirked down on her as she was being swallowed up. "That's right girl soon you will be completely part of my systems and your power and abilities will make me better than even my current level of perfection."

His attention was drawn back to the fight as Vegeta jumped in and his fists blurred. "Stupid monster you will die now," Vegeta yelled out in his usual arrogant manner. Occupied with Vegeta Cell's absorption of Ifurita stalled for a moment and he failed to notice Krillan as he snuck up on him.

He glanced back though when he felt Krillan as he tried to free Ifurita from his grasp, the glazed expression on her face cracked into comprehension for a moment as she mumbled something only Krillan could hear.

"FOOL," Cell yelled out and used his extended tail with Ifurita still half way inside as a club and knocked Krillan aside. This distraction was costly though as Vegeta used this moment to land a punishing roundhouse kick to Cell's head. Cell went skipping along the ground before he crashed into a mesa that then crumbled down on top of him and Ifurita who was now swallowed up to her neck.

Piccolo climbed to his feet and stumbled over to Gohan as he yelled out "GOHAN, EVERYONE, HIT HIM NOW BEFORE HE CAN FULLY ASSIMALTE HER."

Piccolo sensed Gohan's worry about the possibility of hurting Ifurita but knew they didn't have a choice anymore so he screamed out "NOW GOHAN." The boy whispered a quiet "forgive me," Gohan's power ascended up through super saiyan to level two.

"KA ME HA ME HA!" Gohan yelled and unleashed a torrent of power through his one good arm that rocketed for Cell as everyone else added everything they could with blasts of their own.

With tears that streamed from his eyes, Gohan wept at having to do this to the woman who came just to help them. He screamed out all his anger and rage at this whole situation, his father, Trunks, android 16, and all the other countless lives that were lost and now Ifurita had joined them, all lost.

Gohan held the blast for a whole minute before he let up, his energy exhausted he then slumped to his knees and teetered on the verge of passing out. Ranma walked over to the exhausted boy and puts his hand on his shoulder "its okay Gohan we'll use the Dragon balls to wish her back, you had to do it."

"I know uncle Ranma it's just, a lot you know, to take in," Gohan mumbled in exhaustion.

"The punks right Gohan," Piccolo's gravelly voice grumbled "it was all that could be done, just rest for now."

Krillan staggered over to the group and asked, "Do you really think Cells gone?"

"I don't know, I can't sense him though," Piccolo said as he squinted his eyes and looked in the direction where Cell had ended up. But the area was still being obscured by smoke and dust and made it hard to see.

"How about you Ranma" asked Krillan "do you sense him?" He knew that of all of the Z-senshi Ranma had the best ki senses.

"No, no I... don't, but there is something...," he muttered as he looked on with a confused frown.

"Is it Cell?" Yamcha questioned as he arrived on scene with Teinshinhan.

"I don't think so it feels different, no wait its gone now," Ranma exclaimed in surprise.

Any further conversation was cut off as a sound like that of an earthquake resounded through the area. Lightning began to arc about where Cell had fallen, shafts of power that shot up from the rubble blazed into the heavens that quickly darkened as heavy laden clouds rolled in. The clouds began to move in a circular pattern and developed an eye in the center that surrounded the mesa that collapsed on Cell. The Rumbling increased as the rocks that made up the mesa, those both large and small began to rise into the air.

From within, a power began to rise, slowly at first something not unlike the power one would sense from Bulma, then it felt like maybe Krillan's power level. Then it began to move up and up to greater and greater heights, as the power arced up to obscene levels a voice with an ominous tone resounded through the valley. "OH, YOU WANTED TO SENSE MY STRENGTH DID YOU."

From the clouds of smoke and dust that filled the air a figure stalked out. And the power continued to grow in intensity until it dwarfed even Gohan at his full strength.

The Z-senshi stood in amazed horror at the power that approached them. "Who, how?" one of them muttered under his breath.

This quiet utterance was heard though by the creature that approached them still obscured from their sight. "How? You ask, how did perfection get improved upon."

From the smoke stepped the creature that once called itself perfect Cell, it was now more human like in appearance than before, his exoskeleton was more flush and streamlined. The coloring was darker green and black without any splotches, while his face and hands were an even more pale blue. The wings and tail that were formerly on the back were no more, and the fins on his head, instead of going straight up now arced back and out from the sides. (A.N. think like wolverines mask but more jagged on the edges.)

"The how should be obvious even to little creatures like you. The who on the other hand..." the creature began as he drew closer and his power shook the ground and left scorched foot prints behind him. The power literally froze the Z-senshi in their places with its intensity. "IF I WAS PERFECT BEFORE NOW AND FOR ALL TIME… I AM… SUPREME CELL!!!

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To be continued in:

Chapter Three: Supreme Cell vs. Ranma?

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End notes:

Let me know what you think please, okay? I appreciate any comments thank you.

Signed: Verse12


	4. Chapter 3 : Supreme Cell Vs Ranma

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The Tendo Dojo

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Makoto had been sitting on a rock in front of the koi pond since Ifurita had left less than an hour ago. Ifurita had not returned instantaneously like he had hoped might have happened. As he sat there he tried to keep from worrying too much, but anything could have gone wrong. "We still don't know how the time dilation effect actually works, I have some theories but we just don't have enough information" he mused to himself.

'I just can't shake the fact that something is wrong,' Makoto thought worriedly. 'I'm glad though that in the last month our link has strengthened so much that even now I can still feel her in the distance.'

"Makoto are you sure you don't want some tea or some cake?" Kasumi asked in her usual kind way as she opened the shoji door and stepped onto the deck.

Makoto sighed before he replied, "I had better eat something I guess, thank you Kasumi." Makoto stood up and stomped his foot to restore some feeling into it, "I've been sitting here too long" he muttered.

"I'm sure Ifurita is fine Makoto," Kasumi comforted him when she noticed his worry.

Makoto smiled up at Kasumi as she stood on the porch and thanked her for her kindness through all this. "And of course you're right; it hasn't been that lon…" Makoto trailed off as his face fell into a frown and his gaze shifted off to the side.

"Ifurita?" he asked seemingly to himself.

"Makoto are you all right?" Kasumi inquired in concern.

His eyes went unfocused as he looked inward and his breath started to become more ragged.

Louder Makoto asked with a confused cast to his face, "Ifurita, where?"

"Are you all right Makoto," Kasumi inquired with more emphasis trying to get his attention.

Still not hearing Kasumi's worried questions, Makoto's eyes went large as he used his power to stretch out his senses toward the link he shared with Ifurita.

He suddenly took a deep breath as his face became a mask of horror and he let out a heart rending scream "IFURITA, NO!"

Instinctively he delved deep into the link through which his loves pain radiated and his mind began to traverse the long journey toward her.

He let out a soft moan before his legs buckled and his body collapsed to the ground. Kasumi's startled exclamation of concern is the only thing that is heard besides the others as they ran outside to find out what had caused Kasumi such distress.

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Only Human

By Verse12

Verse12 (at) hotmail (dot) com

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Disclaimer:

I do not own these characters nor do I claim too, this is a simple fan based homage. Their creators and the companies they work for and with own the characters and all that pertains to them. (I.E. Rumiko Takahashi, Viz, Shougakukan, Pioneer LDC, Hiroki Hayashi, Ryoe Tsukimura, Akira Toriyama) This is just fans of the shows expressing their love for it for fun; no profit is involved or expected thank you.

Note: Revised 7/19/07 to 9/1/08

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Chapter Three

Supreme Cell vs. Ranma?

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DBZ Universe

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'What to do? What to do?' Ranma thought, 'the power on this guy... its unreal. I thought he was strong before but now... it's just insane!'

'Come on think Ranma, there has to be a way to somehow fix this,' Ranma tried to tune out the gibbering fear soaked babble that came from Krillan and Yamcha as they sensed Cell's new even more powerful strength.

Hearing it made him feel almost ashamed to be human.

He looked down worriedly at Gohan as the boy suddenly sat on the ground next to him in a weary slump, 'he's just staring off into space as he looked over at the what's left of my android double, # 16,' Ranma thought.

'The kid even at his full strength would maybe on his best day and Cell's worst day be about half as powerful as Cell is now. Me and Goku both knew that the kid was unbelievably powerful and that he was our only hope for stopping cell. But the rules have changed; just getting Gohan to unleash his full potential as it stands now isn't going to be enough anymore.'

'He expended almost all of his energy trying to destroy Cell before he sucked up Ifurita, he's barely even conscious now. On top of all that he has a shattered arm and other injuries including that nasty gash under his hairline, though you can hardly see all that blood in that mop of hair of his. Can't even make out the dark purple highlights among all the black hair now though,' Ranma thought with a sight, 'his mom's gonna kill me for letting him get this hurt.'

Ranma shook his head in an attempt to get his thoughts back on track and glanced over at Vegeta. 'He has even less of a chance than Gohan, even though he's less hurt right now, the arrogant son of a...'

He ignored Cell as he boasted comments about how great he was and how no one has ever come close to his supreme perfection to everyone there. Ranma just stood there and tried to think of a way out of this mess. 'How do I get into these kinds of situations anyway,' he thought? 'Just following the pack wasn't my way of doing things once upon a time and now all those old thoughts about Nerima have been stirred up just when I need to keep my head on straight, that hasn't been my home for a long, long time. This Ifurita lady showing up now has put us in an even worse shape than we were before.'

'But it has got me thinking about the past I hadn't thought of how things were back there for the long time, well except about mom and… her.'

'That's beside the point though' Ranma thought; 'none of us can match Cell's strength that much is obvious. The stuff I learned under Master Roshi ain't gonna help here. I need to think like pops… no maybe not like pops he would just run off. But I can use those skills that pop pounded into my head me for years, how to turn a disadvantage to an advantage even against someone who's stronger. I can't match them in terms of strength anymore, at least for now anyway so I need to get sneaky. I need to use my true strengths, it isn't always the most powerful fighter that is victorious most of the time it's the smarter fighter.'

"I need to use anything goes" Ranma whispered with a sad smile and drew the attention both of Piccolo and Vegeta.

"Do you have an idea Saotome," Piccolo asked gruffly.

"Maybe," Ranma said in whisper. "Just beginning of an idea actually, give me a minute."

With this Ranma turned his keen tactical intellect to the problem at hand. An idea though began to form in his mind, 'it's not much, but maybe if it works we may just have a shot. Well maybe not a shot but a better chance than now that is, the two keys though are underestimation and a saiyan's true strength.'

With a weary sigh Ranma gathered his courage, put on a cocky grin and muttered "onto step one."

Ranma stepped forward and yelled out to Cell a lame challenge, "HEY, MR. GREEN GUY, YAH YOU, I GOT A CHALLENGE FOR YOU."

Cell smirked before he replied "A challenge for me? How can you even hope to even begin to challenge me in anyway? You, who couldn't even touch me before in my former form let alone me new supreme state would seek to challenge me?"

"We both know that you could kill us all before we could even blink," Ranma said with a smirk of his own.

"Of course I could what's your point weakling," Cell smiled while he buffed his sharp black-segmented claw tipped fingers against his chest.

"My point is that you will probably want ta make it more interesting for yourself so that it will last longer am I right," Ranma said with a smile of his own, "don't want to have things become boring now do we? That was the whole point of these 'Cell Games' of yours anyway wasn't it?"

In the back ground Krillan nervously asked Piccolo "Um, Piccolo why is Ranma trying to give Cell ideas on how to Torture us?"

Piccolo's just looked briefly down onto the small monk with a cold stare and didn't give voice to a reply.

Cell mockingly laughed in reply to Ranma's last question and asked, "You wish to help keep me entertained is that it? No I don't think so you would never give up so easily I've studied you, you know? Once I had realized you had changed this past time line so that it was so vastly different from the future I came from I had to make sure that you couldn't be a threat to my plans. So no I'm sure you have thought up some last ditch hair brained scheme in a vain attempt to defeat me and not something solely for my amusement, not that it might not be amusing to watch you scurry around like the vermin you are in some futile plot. And I may even discover some interesting ways to destroy your so called friends and maybe if you do amuse me enough I might spare you and take you on as my little lackey," Cell finished with a mocking belly laugh.

Ranma laughed in reply and said, "Maybe that's true maybe not I might have a plan or I could be stalling for time in hopes that someone else will think of something. Maybe it's that old where there's life there's hope saying but I do know that no matter how amusing any of are you have no intention of keeping any of us alive for very long.

Before Cell can respond Vegeta yells out "I REFUSE TO BECOME A CLOWN FOR THAT STUPID MONSTER'S AMUSEMENT. I AM THE PRINCE OF ALL SAIYA-JIN I WILL DIE BEFORE I STOOP TO SUCH A LEVEL."

Ranma turned to face Vegeta and yelled out "WILL YOU JUST SHUT UP AND LET ME HANDLE THIS YOU STUPID, IGNORANT… AH JUST SHUT UP," he finished with a negligent wave of his hands.

"Listen Cell, how about a little contest, between you and me?" Ranma said after he had calmed down slightly.

"A contest you say, of what kind?" Cell replied to this inquiry with guarded interest.

"Just this, you take the bag of senzu beans that you took from us," Ranma began.

"These," Cell smirked as he pulled them out of hiding.

"Yeah those, it's a simple game all you have to do is just toss them away behind you and then try to keep me from getting past you to them?" Ranma said with his typical confidence even in the face of insurmountable odds. "Just think of it as a little warm up to entertain you rather than just wiping us all out in an instant, how about it?"

"Hum," Cell mused in contemplation as he ignored Vegeta as he ranted about how stupid this plan was. "Very well I agree, not that it will do you any good even if you do get them. They won't help any of you but I think I see what you have in mind and even if you do get past me I don't think it will do the boy any good. I'll be honest he had a chance at destroying me earlier but even if he was at his peak he couldn't even hope to even keep up with me now. But as you said I could end this anytime I want and I do so want to make this... last," he said with a dark grin before he continued.

"Besides I admit I am curious as to what you have planned out. You see I all the fighters gathered here you are the only one whose techniques I do not have within me but thanks to the lovely and talented Ifurita I can add your repertoire to my perfection. You seem to have an almost uncanny ability to find the weaknesses in an opponent and use them against them I am interested to see if my new abilities will allow me to grasp that more esoteric ability."

"All right just give me a moment here with my friends to say goodbye and I'll be right with you," Ranma said with a smile.

"Take your time," Cell smiled evilly as he flicked his wrist as if dismiss Ranma from his presence.

Ranma floated back over to the group of disbelieving warriors and ignored their questions as he knelt in front of Gohan and spoke quietly so that only the boy could hear him, well except for Piccolo that is. "Gohan," he began as he tried to get the exhausted boy's attention. "I know that a lot has been put on you and that even though you're still not quite ten yet you are one of the strongest fighters ever known and this has been harder on you than you've let on."

"Yah," Gohan mumbled as he looked downcast and tired.

"Me and your dad have been training you since you were born and I am so proud of you, just as your dad was."

"Really," Gohan asked quietly?

"Yes really, but now, now we're up against something of such insane power that even if all of us would pool our power into one then it still would fall short of Cell's. You are the only one of us that has ever gotten even close to defeating him and in the shape you are in now, you couldn't win against Perfect Cell let alone this new Supreme Cell. Do you understand?"

"Yes uncle Ranma," Gohan said sadly, "I know even if I was at full strength I couldn't beat him."

"None of that young man," Ranma barked, upset at Gohan's pity party.

"I know if you fight him like we usually attack these guys, straight up your power against his power you'll most likely fail," he continued in a gentler tone.

Gohan looked up at him in confusion, "So you have a plan then uncle?"

"Well first I'm gonna to get the senzu back so you can get healed up and your mom won't try to kill me for letting you get so beat up. Step two," Ranma commented with a smile, "is kind of going to be in your hands it'll be a long shot but I KNOW you will be able to take advantage of it."

"Um, okay uncle," Gohan said in confusion.

"Just remember," Ranma said "if something were to happen to me I want you to know that are not only one of the strongest people on the planet but you are one of the smartest as well. Use the brains your mother gave you, if you can't out fight him, try to out think him."

Ranma stood up and turned around as he walked back toward Cell as he did this Krillan walked nervously over to Gohan and asked him what Ranma had said.

"Just that he had a plan okay," Gohan blurted tersely, "let's just trust him to handle this alright?"

About 30 meters from Cell Ranma stopped, "Okay I'm ready when you are the only rules I can think of is to see if you can defend that position from me while I try to get past you."

"HAHAHA!" Cell Laughed arrogantly. "All right whatever, I like your attitude plus I want to see what you're up to. The suspense had better be worth it though or I will defiantly make you pay for wasting my time," Cell said as he stood there chuckling. He then tossed the bag of senzu over his shoulder so that it landed about 600 meters behind him.

Cell smirked at him while he watched Ranma get into a peculiar stance he had never seen before, "you know Cell, I made a promise to my pop a long time ago and for the last twenty years or so I've kept it," Ranma said with a smirk. "Oh I've been tempted sometimes to break it of course but always there was some hope for some other way to win or it wouldn't have helped much in the end. You know there has always been some other or better option, either that or I had amnesia or I was crazy. Now I really don't have any other option. So Cell prepare yourself to face the ultimate techniques of the Saotome School of anything goes martial arts."

"That isn't that run away thing is it?" Yamcha asked in confusion as everyone ignored him, "cause I could actually get behind that."

"So you claim you were actually holding back on techniques for all of these years? Interesting I can't wait to see what pitiful little techniques you pull out of your hat now," Cell said with a smirk.

Ranma smiled and quickly shot a small ki blast into the ground in-between them which caused a cloud of dust and dirt to fill the air and obscured him from Cell. The Z-senshi though caught a glimpse of Ranma as his face fell into an emotionless mask and he raised his arms bent his leg upward as he crouched down lower. Ranma then flickered and faded from sight, not with the zanzoken technique but with what seemed to be true invisibility.

With a wave of his arm Cell dissipated the dust cloud, "pitiful you had to know that this wouldn't distract me but for moments." After the cloud cleared, Cell began to frown as he looked around for a while "creating a disturbance before you hid, nothing earth shattering there, I'm disappointed in you," cell said mockingly.

"Now where have you gone then," the monster sang out sarcastically. "Above?" he said while he looked up "no?" Cell even Spun around and floated up into the air but no signs of the illusive martial artist were yielded, this lack of results caused Cell to frown, "More clever than I gave you credit for it seems. Did you use this distraction to run away? Not that it will do you any good in any case. I just never figured you for a coward like the other humans on this planet."

"WHO SAID I RAN AWAY?" Ranma yelled out from where the senzu were tossed.

Cell spun around and actually looked surprised when his eyes lit on a Ranma as he stood there smirking as he tossed a bag into the air, "looking for these Celly?" Ranma questioned.

"HE GOT THEM," Krillan yelled out.

Yamcha looked over at the Krillan and commented in total fear, "so what? Did you even sense his power what good will that do us, even at his peak Gohan's no match for that monster." Yamcha looked about franticly before his mind just snapped and he desperately tried to make a break for it he scrambled madly about before he launched himself into the air in a vain attempt to get away.

Cell frowned before he took one more glance at Ranma, "I'll deal with you in a moment okay?" He then looked over to Yamcha's retreating form as his eyes flash gold for just a second and Yamcha's rapidly vanishing body exploded into a cloud of bloody chunks.

Shouts of murderer and other exclamations of anger came from multiple throats.

Cell smirked before he turned his gaze about in a lazy arc he looked at the warriors in front of him as they prepared to leap to the attack. "Are you sure you want to do this now?" Cell asked with a cruel smile on his face.

"HOLD OFF," Ranma yelled as he raised his hand in a stopping motion without even a look away from Cell. The others held short at his shout, well except for Vegeta who never moved to begin with. "DON'T MOVE, Yamcha made a mistake so don't you all make another one, just hold short."

With his body still quaking with anger Ranma turned his gaze on Cell and asked, "Why?"

"Why, you ask? Well if you must know because it amused me, I didn't know if I could do that, the idea just occurred to me. Do you think maybe I'm gaining your ability to exploit an opponent's weaknesses do you?" Cell remarked in mock surprise.

"I wouldn't know," Ranma ground out thru grit teeth. He took a deep breath before he forced himself to let out his anger and regain his composure. Ranma then decided to follow one of the prime tenants of anything goes, keep your cool while making the other guy lose his.

'But this is tricky,' he thought, 'dealing with someone as strong as Cell I can't let him get too steamed. I've got to use my head, keep him off balance yet still cool enough to use his arrogance against him, I just have to draw this out enough for Gohan to see what he has to see.'

'Man this is gonna hurt,' he reflected to himself.

"Now, I said I would deal with you later, well now, is later. I was most impressed by that technique by the way. Very interesting and quite smart of you actually to obscure my vision so that I couldn't use my new powers to obtain it from you," Cell said.

"I'm very happy you're impressed," Ranma replied sarcastically with the small bag of beans still held loosely in his hand.

"You should be," Cell said arrogantly before he blurred. When he stabilized again seemingly unmoved from where he was he had the bag that was in Ranma's hand a split second ago. "Well that was a futile little exercise, wasn't it? Quite boring actually."

'This is for you Gohan I hope you can forgive me for the pain this causes you cause it sure is going to hurt me a lot too,' Ranma thought with a smile just as Cell raised the bag and opened it up. As Cell peered inside he frowned in confusion, "What the?" he questioned as he pulled out a small brown sphere that was about the size of a softball.

"Oh that? It's a little present from my father's sensei It's called a Happou Dai Karin, enjoy," Ranma said with a big fake cheesy grin.

A loud BOOM shook the valley as ki the formed black powder bomb filled the air with choking black smoke.

"STUPID LITTLE FOOL," Cell yelled out and with a swipe of his hand dispelled the smoke which revealed the monster to be covered in black soot. He spun around and squinted his eyes with a muttered, "just you wait, I just have to see that move clearly one time and then it won't hide you from me anymore."

Off to the side the Z-senshi stood "he disappeared again," Krillan stated in awe. "I can't even sense him can any of you?" the bald monk questioned.

"No," Piccolo said in his gruff voice. "There isn't even any blank spot in the surrounding ki to indicate where he could be." While the others watched as Cell felt around for Ranma, they questioned among themselves as to where this move came from and how Ranma held it back for so long. Gohan though just sat there and felt very worried, his whole life he has trained with his dad, uncle Ranma and later with Mr. Piccolo.

'Now though dad is gone and Uncle is, is, I don't know what he's thinking. Even invisible what can he hope to accomplish and if Cell actually gets that invisibility move,' he thought.

Gohan actually shivered in worry at the thought of that technique in Cell's claws.

"Hey kid what's wrong?" Ranma's voice questioned from behind him. "UNC..."

"Sssshhhh!" Ranma's invisible voice questioned, "I don't want anyone to know I'm over here."

"Uncle what's going on," Gohan asked in a whisper.

"Don't worry about that now kid, I just wanted to tell you this, I never had any kids and I always thought of you and your dad as the closest thing I would ever have to having any."

"Uncl..." Gohan began only to be cut off by Ranma. "Don't interrupt it's only a matter of time before Cell gets tired of this game. Here take these," Ranma said as he slipped the bag of Senzu Beans to Gohan.

"The Senzu," the youthful demi-saiya-jin questioned? "Yeah Kid use'em when you got to okay don't hold off on using all of them if you need to."

"And Gohan remember that you're Human as well as Saiya-jin. You're smart kid remember to use that, and... I'm sorry I have to do this to ya."

"Uncle?" Gohan questioned only too hear no reply to his query. Any further questions are cut off when a shout rang from all around the valley.

"KIAO-ARASHI RAISHU DAN " a blazing pinkish blur slammed into Cell and another and another, continuing until a storm of arcing pinkish blades of power and vacuum energy rained down upon Cell from all directions at once as Ranma reappears and is seen racing around the monster at a mind numbing speed. He kept up this torrent of energy for a full minute until finally he had to let up on the attack.

Before the cloud of smoke could dissipate though the panting Ranma moved into his peculiar stance and faded from view once more. When from the cloud Cell stalked out his anger clear on his face, "I am getting upset!" He growled out in a growing fury.

"I SENSE YOU NOW!" Cell yelled out before he turned around just in time to see the human warrior visible once more right in his face as he screamed "DOKUJA TANKETSU SHO," the former Neriman's hand shot forward in a clawed palm strike. The blow actually rocked the green monster back, it regained its balance just as Ranma shouted out a confusing cry of "DON'T MOVE" as he flung both of his arms out to open cell guard before he struck Cell with a quick brutal kick to the monsters chest while he yelled "MOKO KAIMON HA."

Ranma hopped back as he screamed "KA-ME-HA-ME-HA" and fired a blast of power at Cell point blank just as Ranma was preparing to fade from view once more a clawed hand appeared and griped Ranma's neck from behind, the monster leaned forward into the dangling man's field of view and smiled, "you lose little man."

"I don't think so," the anything goes heir spat out in defiance. "Goshin Ryu Sei Fu" he growled out as he pulled a cloth from his gi top and used his ki to wrap it around Cells head tightly while he used a wristlock to escape the grip and flip over Dr. Gero's creation with a shout of, "Rigyo Honshin." Once he was behind Cell Ranma shot his hands forward as he focused his ki into his finger as he quipped out, "try this jerk, HAKU DATO SHIN SHO REVISED." As he was still trying to get the clinging cloth from his face Cell was unprepared for the hundreds of strikes that needled through his body; the explosions of energy sent damage ripping straight through him and out the other side leaving no outside mark on him. A cascading series of explosions dotted the landscape behind Cell as the monster roared in pain.

Bent over, Cell finally ripped the cloth from his head, Cell panted for breath as he screamed out "THAT'S IT. I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU DID THAT BUT YOU WILL PAY, YOU LITTLE NOTHING." As the monster looked around he growled in anger "I know how to find you, you slippery piece of..."

Cell then got down into a crouch as he began to power up and roared, the power level of the green behemoth skyrocketed and torrents of energy began to flood the area in waves of power. Rocks and debris flew away from him as the power blazed and filled the area. Eventually, like sonar, the energy finally illuminated Ranma, "THERE YOU ARE" Cell screamed as he flickered and moved faster than even Gohan could see.

Cell smirked as he appeared in front of Ranma, "thanks for the move." With a shout of "DOKUJA TANKETSU SHO," Cell sent his hand forward in the unique palm strike Ranma had just used on him and Ranma's ribcage burst like overripe fruit from the force of the blow. Cells hand then traveled forward as he ripped apart Ranma's insides as blood and chunks of flesh rained over the terrain.

Finished with this murderous deed Cell smirked at Ranma as the light faded from his eyes. "What did you hope to accomplish with this fool?" the evil thing said, "I know you had some kind of plan."

Ranma fell to the ground as cell dropped him like a sack of garbage. His lungs destroyed and his ki being the only thing that kept him alive Ranma whispered "di…d, wha... I ha, to." Ranma croaked out and with his dying breath he hoarsely whispered "A... kan... sorr…e" and then Ranma Saotome the sole heir to the Saotome school of Musubetsu Kakuto Ryu breathed his last.

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To be continued in:

Chapter Four: Supreme Cell vs. Gohan

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End Notes:

Some people have stated some concerns about how I have made Cell's absorption abilities work. My inference is that his absorption capabilities in his perfect form would quite likely be capable of absorbing any organic based android he wishes, and as to why he did not absorb android 16, well android 16 was completely robotic while Ifurita is more like 17 and 18 in that they all have an organic base.

Oh, the reason the HAKU DATO SHIN SHO is able to hurt Cell is because the move sends damage through a target and bypasses defenses it comes out the other side as it bypassed Cell's powerful exo-skeleton and ki defenses and hurt him on the inside where his flesh and organs are more vulnerable. But Cell was still too strong for this move to do more than hurt him a bit and piss him off.

Well what do you think, huh? Let me know please review thank you.

Signed: Verse12


	5. Chapter 4 : Supreme Cell Vs Gohan

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The Void in-between Realities

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A ghostly image of Makoto Mizuhara hurtled through the inter-reality void, nothing more than an insubstantial wraith. Makoto had used his power to mentally link with machinery to keep tabs on his love the Android Ifurita as she traveled across the multiverse to find the lost martial artist Ranma Saotome.

Ifurita knew of his guilt over the loss of Saotome and the pain Ranma's family felt at his disappearance so she volunteered to undertake the dangerous trip into the unknown in order to save him. As he waited for her return though, he felt through his link with her a vast amount of terror and fear, something he had never felt in such quantities from her before and for a moment he actually thought he may have lost her. His power seemed to sense the danger and forced his consciousness out of his body and toward Ifurita by way of his link to her and now in this in-between place he realized he could actually still sense the much weakened link between them.

He floated to a stop as his mind-self looked around as he tried to find the proper path in a place that completely defied the terms of logical directions. He was surrounded by globes of energy that were in multi hued colors, some were stationary while others seemed to move slowly and others moved so fast as to be virtually incomprehensible. Between the globes the former student of Shininome High saw darkness that was broken by what appeared to be brilliantly colored nebula that were connected to one another by tendrils of coruscating power.

"Where are you Ifurita, it's getting harder and harder to feel you," uttered the glowing blue form of Makoto's mental self. The young man began to grow desperate in his search so he closed his figuratively represented eyes and calmed down as he reached out on the weakened link for the mental feel of his love.

"Makoto?" came a faint questioning back to him along the link. 'IFURITA, IS THAT YOU?' Makoto shouted back mentally. "No time," came the weak answer in reply "monk, ask the mon…" Ifurita said as her presence began to fade away.

"IFURITA" Makoto shouted in desperate fear before he lunged along the mental track he felt Ifurita's presence come from before it faded completely. "Hold on love, just hold on, we haven't gone through all we have to lose each other now. Please just hold on I'm coming just wait for me."

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Only Human

By Verse12

Verse12 (at) hotmail (dot) com

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Disclaimer: I do not own these characters nor do I claim too, this is a simple fan based homage. Their creators and the companies they work for and with own the characters and all that pertains to them. (I.E. Rumiko Takahashi, Viz, Shougakukan, Pioneer LDC, Hiroki Hayashi, Ryoe Tsukimura, Akira Toriyama) This is just fans of the shows expressing their love for it for fun; no profit is involved or expected thank you.

Note: Revised (09/07/08)

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Chapter Four

Supreme Cell vs. Gohan

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DBZ Universe

Just before Ranma's death, Son-Gohan sat off to the side with the others in the Z-senshi. As he placed all but one of the Senzu into his hidden weapons space in order to protect them Gohan just watched and wondered what his uncle Ranma was thinking, the boy believed he was going to get himself killed for no good reason. 'It's obvious that we haven't a hope of defeating that monster now,' Gohan thought in bafflement.

As Ranma maneuvered about and attacked Cell Gohan just sat and wondered about this futile act. "I don't want to lose anyone else," he whispered "why does this always happen… why does everyone leave me?"

"PAY ATTENTION BOY!" Piccolo barked out to the inattentive Gohan which caused him to look up. "Wha?" the demi-saiya-jin asked, "FOOLISH BOY, NOW IS NOT THE TIME TO SIT AND FEEL SORRY FOR YOURSELF, your 'UNCLE' is trying to teach you something so pay attention."

"What, what do you think he trying to teach me with this," Gohan asked his mentor tremulously?

With a hard look the Namekian warrior gazed into the boy's eyes and whispered, "How to die like a warrior."

As Son-Gohan brought his tear drenched face to look upon the battle Ranma reappeared by Cell and hit him with a previously unseen move, some kind of clawed palm strike.

"HE STAGGERED HIM, HE ACTUALLY STAGGERED HIM," Krillan shouted in exuberance.

"How," Gohan whispered, "he shouldn't be able to affect him? He's not strong enough."

"Ranma has a knack for surprises, he may not have been the big gun he used to be in the last few years but I remember the fight he and Goku had against me all those years ago, he kept me so off balance I didn't know what to do," Piccolo commented as Ranma fired off a ka-me-ha-me-ha at point blank range.

As the young man watched the fight continue he remembered the words of love and encouragement his uncle had just told him and he realized what his uncle was truly trying to do. "Uncle I'm sorry, I'll do better please just be okay I don't think I can handle loosing anyone else," he murmured. It is as the young man uttered these words that Cell made his final move and Ranma Saotome's life ended in violence and horror.

As Cell stood there and gloated as he laughed about the death of another great man, something just snapped inside of young Son-Gohan's soul.

"UNCLE," the boy screamed as he seethed in a burning rage uncaring of the eyes of the others upon him, he took his good hand with the senzu bean still in it and he popped it into his mouth then with an audible crack he bit into it.

"So the little boy wants to go again? This won't be as easy on you as last time," the monster smirked sarcastically.

"I don't care what it takes, I don't care who or what I have to sacrifice but this I SWEAR I will not let you survive this… I will kill you." With that Gohan began to power up with a low growl through his grit teeth and clenched brows. Lightning slowly began to arc about him and a low rumble filled the air. The ground shattered around his feet as his battle aura flared to life, it kept growing and growing in intensity until he threw back his head in a beastly roar and his battle aura exploded in a blinding inferno of power. The power then started to throw loose objects away from him, rocks, dirt… Krillan, as he lowered his gaze onto Cell his eyes filled with cold Saiya-Jin hate and Gohan rumbled out "I WILL make you pay."

"We will see little boy," Cell said coldly "you can never hope to come near my supreme power."

"That doesn't matter because today, I will destroy you no matter what it takes."

With a flicker Gohan moved, he appeared by Cell and kicked at him with a shin kick. Cell lazily blocked the blow with his forearm as he mockingly called out "weak."

Gohan dropped into a leg sweep that Cell lazily hopped over before he was kicked to the back by the Techno-Organic monstrosity. This of course sent the boy skipping along the rocky terrain like a stone on pond as he acquired cuts and bruises on the way.

Once he rose from where he had ended up, Gohan was quickly set upon by Cell. In less time than it takes to tell Cell broke through Gohan's defenses as he shattered the youth's ribs and collarbone before he was once again sent flying backwards this time to slam into a large boulder.

Cell laughed loudly as he quipped, "is that it little Saiya-Jin, are you done already?"

"NEVER," Gohan screamed after he had eaten another Senzu bean from the pouch. Son-Gohan flared his aura once more as he squared off against Supreme Cell before he charged forward to battle again.

"Well well, looks like you found your second wind," Cell laughed as he sidestepped Gohan's berserker charge. A well-placed karate chop to the boy's back sent the youth stumbling forward before he collapsed to the ground.

When the lad didn't rise Cell couldn't help but taunt his injured foe "come on already is that it? The human did better than you and he didn't have half of your strength." When Gohan didn't respond Cell asked tauntingly, "What is that it? Are you dead already?" With his foot he turned the half human over. "Well boy?" the monster smirked out.

"Can't feel my legs," the injured lad croaked out.

"Oh that is rich," he laughed, "well I better finish you off then put you down like the dog you are."

As he looked up at the monster that has killed so many people that were close to him Gohan yelled back "You first," before he bit down on yet another Senzu he had left in his cheek. His renewed legs spun up and around as he caught Cell by surprise and clipped him in the chin. As he chased Cell into the sky Gohan powered up even higher than he could before, he threw a right cross which hit cell in the face before Gohan followed up with a knee to the gut that drove the wind from Cell's diagram. The power of the blows themselves sent shock waves thundering around, Cell retaliated though with a back hand to Gohan's face that split his lip and caused is head to whip backwards.

The demi-saiya-jin floated back out of Cell's range as he tried to catch his bearings and make this plan succeed, 'only have one senzu left, have to make this work,' he thought to himself.

Cell charged forward and soon he and Gohan were exchanging blows at a fast and furious rate. They appeared and disappeared as they went and their blows were accompanied by thunderclaps in the sky. Soon though it was evident to those who could somewhat follow the events in the air that Gohan was defiantly taking the worst of the blows. A spinning shin kick clocked the younger boy in the head and he was sent spinning head over heels to crash into the ground.

As he climbed to his feet while he still kept his eyes on Cell as the monster floated mockingly in the sky he mused to himself 'this still isn't working. I have to do something, THINK Gohan, what else was Ranma trying to show me, I know what he meant by using all of the senzu and I know why he sacrificed himself,' Gohan thought morosely. "No, don't think like that keep that edge, this part of the plan wasn't enough that much is evident, so what should I do now?" Gohan reflected.

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Eight years ago.

Up in the mountains a tiny Gohan and a younger Ranma faced each other in a clearing. "Now Gohan I know your dad has been teaching you his style, and that's great if you're stronger than or at least close to your opponent in strength. But you are still little, heck you're only two. And even when you get big you have to realize that there is always someone stronger out there, always a new challenger."

"HEY I'm two an a hav," the chibi-Gohan Gohan squeaked out.

"All right, two and a half. But still the things you do when you fight someone on an equal level are different if they are much more powerful than you. So, I am gonna show you the style of fighting I learned as a kid, Anything Goes Martial Arts."

"Anything goed?" the lad asked.

"Anything goes has many different ways it can be used but one of the most important is how to keep your foe off balance and too use misdirection too hit them where they are most vulnerable how to use your head in a fight and make the other guy lose his cool."

"Um… I don't know if I get all'a that," the small boy questioned?

"Don't worry kid," Ranma said as he knelt down in front of the child as he put his hand on his shoulder. Your mom and dad said I could handle your training for the next few months, so you and me will hang out and train together for a while, that okay?"

"Yeah," Gohan cheered happily.

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The Present

"That's it, that's what he was trying to say about this, I have to use my head I have to out think the stupid monster. Hit and run maybe, it worked for Ranma for a while and I may have the strength to actually whittle Cell's strength down some."

As he decided on this strategy he grabbed a boulder and flung it at Cell who of course laughed at this feeble ploy and punched the boulder which shattered instantly. What Cell did not know is that Gohan had followed right behind the large rock and when it was destroyed Gohan flew through the rubble and hit cell in a combination of rights and lefts. Before Cell could respond though Gohan flickered out of sight and suppressed his ki as low as he could.

Cell snarled as he looked around for the boy, "Oh no, we are not playing this game again." As Cell floated to the ground he yelled out, "you better come out now kid or you and your friends are going to be so sorry."

A Round house kick to the back of Cell's head was followed up by another kick from the other leg that Cell blocked by grabbing Gohan's leg when Gohan flickered into appearance behind the monstrosity. "Not going to happen boy," the beast snarled "I haven't even begun to fully power up yet."

"SHUT UP" Gohan yelled as he powered up as he then spun around into an upside down reverse axe kick to Cell's head. While still inverted Gohan fired a ki blast at Cell's feet which sent him and a shower of debris flying into the sky, using the distraction afforded by Cell's hasty departure Gohan quickly flickered away into hiding.

As he spit out a bit of green blood from his mouth Cell screamed, "STUPID INSECT! I WILL KILL YOU," then as he thought for a second he continued "no" he smiled, "I have an even better idea than that."

Cell flew high into the air and smirked down onto the Z-senshi off to the side, "A MUCH BETTER PLAN," the fiend screamed.

"HA," With a guttural bellow Cell unleashed a large blast down onto the warriors below and laughed as he watched them scramble for cover.

The explosion echoed loudly as its pressure wave filled the sky and threw everything in its path around as a large mushroom shaped cloud filled the air.

"NO!" Gohan yelled as his heart was ripped open and he saw his last friends killed before his eyes. Gohan's power began to rip to even higher levels, they soared to thundering heights as Gohan let go of all restraint and fear and let the animal out to play. Let loose the Saiya-jin in him plowed into Supreme Cell and pounded on him with punishing blows.

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As they battled across the sky Cell laughed at Gohan's pain and the dust on the ground began to settle it reveled Vegeta's stirring form. As he rose up he coughed out the dust that clogged his throat and the prince of the Saiya-jin staggered to his feet.

"Stupid child," the prince muttered "foolish, playing games with that stupid beast." As he looked over the blast area he saw the still forms of the three-eyed weakling and the namek-jin the latter whose head was crushed, a mortal wound even for one of that race.

"Ugh," a voice muttered from behind Vegeta. He spun about and saw the bald monk Krillan on the outskirts on the blast radius, HOW THE %&*# DID YOU OF ALL OF THEM SURVIVE," Vegeta asked incredulously?

As Krillan rose up from where he was shielded by several boulders that were wedged into the ground the warrior monk slowly staggered around. "I don't know, I saw the blast coming and just tried to get away and when I couldn't I somehow wedged myself between the rocks over there," he stated as he staggered over to Vegeta.

"Well, it looks like you and the kid are the last of the weaklings," Vegeta commented bluntly.

"What?" Krillan asked confused as he spun about too see the bodies of Teinshinhan and Piccolo. "Oh no," he yelled as he ran over to them to see if there was any hope even though he could tell from where he was that there wasn't any hope for their survival. Halfway there though he tripped over something which sent him tumbling to the ground. "What the heck was that?" he asked as he turned himself over, when he did though he spied a long staff that was wedged into a crack in the ground. He walked over and picked it up with a muttered comment that this was the thing Ifurita was using before. As his hand closed on the shaft the globes began to glow and spark which caused him to drop it in shock "Wha," he muttered?

"What are you doing now?" Vegeta barked which caused Krillan to jump in shock and stammer, "It shocked me."

"What did?" he asked as he walked over to the monk.

"The power key staff," Krillan commented absentmindedly as he gazed onto its still glowing form. "Power key staff, that's what she called it" Krillan commented to himself.

"Who and what are you talking about?" Vegeta barked.

"Ifurita, when I was trying to get her away from Cell she told me something," Krillan said as he leaned over to pick up the staff again.

"Why should I care what foolish last words the stupid woman said were" Vegeta asked bluntly.

When Krillan grabbed the staff again he didn't flinch as it glowed brighter and brighter this time. "She said, 'rebooting systems into safe mode, firewall emplaced, systems not completely compatible,' and then she looked right at me and said 'use the power key staff'."

"What the %^## does that mean?" Vegeta yelled over the sound of Gohan and Cell's midair battling.

"I don't know, maybe" Krillan began only to be cut off by two things. One was Cell's scream of "DOKUJA TANKETSU SHO," as his palm strike hit Gohan's x-crossed arm's which shattered them as he tried to block the attack. The blow sent him flying back into and through three mesas before finally coming to a stop as a fourth one collapsed on top of him. The second thing was a glowing blue figure which burst into appearance from out of the staff with a loud shout about Ifurita.

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Under the rubble Gohan had barely regained consciousness as his mind began to wander, "so stupid let my anger get the better of me. Uncle taught me better than that."

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Two Years ago

Ranma Saotome stood with his young friend Gohan and asked "you know how everyone thinks you have more potential than even your father?"

"Yes uncle," Gohan answered with a confused expression on his face.

"Why is that?" Ranma questioned.

"Um, because I'm Saiya-jin?"

"Yes and no," was Ranma's reply. "You see, your father is Saiya-jin and as strong as he is he still isn't as strong as you can be."

"So, why?"

"Because, you're Human."

"Huh? I don't understand?"

"Gohan I believe, it's your human side that's your true strength the Saiya-jin side just makes it easier for you to gain access to that power."

"Uncle that doesn't make sense Vegeta said that humans couldn't get much more powerful than they are now?"

"Ha" Ranma laughed, "Vegeta is such a respected scientist that we should take his word as the truth?" Ranma said sarcastically. "Look at Krillan at his current power, as he is now he could have taken out Vegeta when he first came to earth, right?"

"Well, I guess… yeah I think that's probably right" Gohan said.

"My theory is that the Saiya-jin in you makes it easier to gain power but the human in you is what pushes the boundaries."

"Uh, I don't know?"

"Hey I could be wrong I don't know but I for one don't plan on playing second fiddle to Vegeta. I just think Saiya-jin have a faster learning curve than humans do so to speak, that's THIER true strength."

"But one thing you need to remember Gohan is that when times get tough it will be your human side that will pull you through not your Saiyan anger, use your head. Now come on kid we better get you home to Capsule Corp or your mom will kill me."

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The Present

"One thing I didn't forget though," Gohan grunted as he tried to ignore the pain in his totally destroyed arms that were pinned beneath him. With his tongue he moved the last senzu bean from where he had it hidden in his cheek and bit into it, "always have a backup plan."

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As Krillan rushed across the terrain and was followed by the floating thought-form of Makoto Mizuhara he screamed Gohan's name as he tried to get to him. Vegeta followed more slowly as he watched Cell's smirking form in the distance.

When he arrived at the heap of rubble Krillan began to try to clear the rocks off of Gohan all while he screamed out his name, only for him to go flying back from the explosion of Ki that Gohan suddenly let loose under the pile of rubble.

"CELL," screamed the enraged Gohan as he floated into the air as his battle aura flared around him.

"He's so strong," Krillan whispered as he felt totally in awe of Gohan's power.

"HE'S STILL NOT STRONG ENOUGH, STUPID" Vegeta roared to the stunned monk.

"Yeah maybe," Krillan muttered before he screamed up at his young friend, "GOHAN COME HERE."

As he looked down on Krillan and Vegeta Gohan's expression lit up like the sun, "GUYS! YOU'RE ALIVE!"

"DON'T TAKE YOUR ATTENTION OFF YOUR ENEMY!" Vegeta roared as Cell took advantage of Gohan's distraction to come in for the kill only to slow to a stop when Makoto floated up in between them. "Ifurita, is it true? Are you really in there somewhere?" he asked.

Cell halted in confusion and grimaced as he began to hold his head as if in pain.

Then suddenly in Ifurita's voice Cell murmured "Makoto?"

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To be continued in:

Chapter Five: Supreme Cell Finale

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End notes:

Just a little bit of clarification on some points, and to answer some questions asked by readers

Yes this is an AU, in the DBZ universe, but that is to be expected since Ranma has been there since before Dragon Ball started.

Now with Ifurita as a part of him Cell has her abilities. Oh and also Cell did learn at least one move in the Cannon DBZ. When Goku used the instant transmission to take him to king kai's planetoid Cell learned it by being exposed to it and used it to return when he killed Mirai-Trunks, I am not confusing Cell with Buu,

I didn't say this would be an Akane match up I just implied it. Give me your ideas and let me know who you think Ranma should be with okay.

As for the manga story being repeated you do not have to worry about that at all trust me, I have already dropped a couple of hints as too how things are different in this story, tell me if you picked up on them.

Oh in case you're thinking the fight ends here not even close Cell won't give up that easily. Well what do you think, please review, thank you

Signed: Verse12


	6. Chapter 5 : Supreme Cell Finale

In the vast barren and rocky desert a white news truck came bouncing over the rugged terrain, the man who was steering the vehicle was cursing the whole way. "Stupid Fuji, he gets the assignment of a life time and he screws it up gets his whole news van blown away. Of course this gives me my chance to make my come back, for years they have ridiculed me for taking the stance I have on these fighters, they never saw the old Budokai tournaments." In a mocking tone of voice he continued talking to himself, "Ko Daku you're washed up, Ko Daku you're crazy to think that all those old tall tales were true, Ko Daku you seen any flying men lately. Stupid punks, if my camera hadn't overloaded somehow at the 23rd Budokai I would have had all the evidence I needed.

"I was the only one left to send though, everyone else was out on assignment and the boss didn't have a choice but to send me with a new truck. But now I will have my chance, I'll show the morons at the station what true martial artists can do. And with my new camera I won't have to worry about it overloading," he commented as he lovingly patted the camera at his side. "Built this baby from scratch, shielded against all forms of energy, THERE IT IS," he exclaimed as he ranted to himself while he pulled up behind a large rock formation some distance away from the battle.

He activated the feed to the station and he waited for the confirmation that the station was receiving the signal before he hopped out and started shooting everything he could with his camera as he ran up to another rock formation, "Ko Daku, cameraman for Z.T.V. news here," the news man huffed and puffed as he ran the rest of the distance to the edge of the battle.

"Ko Daku this is Dirk Takahashi channel four news anchor do you see any sign of The Great Hercule or Cell," the Anchor man questioned through the miniature speaker/microphone in the camera man's ear.

"Not yet Dirk, I have arrived close to the site of the Cell Games but I don't see any sign of the first news crew or twenty fourth Budokai champion Hercule but," he began as he crouched down behind a rock before he leaned around and zoomed in on the conflict. "As you can see in the distance Cell is defiantly floating in the air somehow, across from him appears to be some kind of glowing blue ghostly figure. Could the very ghosts of Cell's Victims have come to exact retribution on him?"

"Off to the side three other figures stand, a short bald man, a young boy, and another short man with wild hair." As he zoomed in closer to the figures off to the side he got a good shot of their faces. "I do recognize two of these people, ladies and gentlemen; the man is a semi-finalist of three Budokai tournaments, the warrior monk Krillan chestnut a student of the great Kame Sennin. And the boy... is that really who I think it is? He may have golden hair somehow but I am certain that the young boy the same who has been fighting Cell for some time now is none other than Son-Gohan. His father Son-Goku won the 23rd Budokai tournament, and of course everyone knows who his mother and her family are."

"Wait something's happening," he exclaimed in an excited tone to the millions of people as they watched and listened at home.

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Only Human

By Verse12

Verse12 (at) hotmail (dot) com

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Disclaimer:

I do not own these characters nor do I claim too, this is a simple fan based homage. Their creators and the companies they work for and with own the characters and all that pertains to them. (I.E. Rumiko Takahashi, Viz, Shougakukan, Pioneer LDC, Hiroki Hayashi, Ryoe Tsukimura, Akira Toriyama) This is just fans of the shows expressing their love for it for fun; no profit is involved or expected thank you.

Note: Revised (09/08/08)

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Chapter Five

Supreme Cell Finale

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Makoto floated up in between Gohan and Cell, "Ifurita are you really in there somewhere? I can feel you somehow, what's happened," he asked lovingly.

Cell halted in confusion and grimaced as he began to hold his head as if in pain.

Then suddenly in Ifurita's voice Cell murmured "Makoto?"

"Get AWAY FROM ME," Cell roared fearfully at Makoto in his own voice. In a wide stance as he floated in midair he held his head in his left hand in obvious pain. The monster took his right arm and swung it out in a wide arc and unleashed a torrent of power at the energy being in front of him. Makoto willed his energy body to drop down and away quickly from the blast but it still hit the ground beneath him anyway and exploded in a deafening roar.

"VEGETA HOLD HIM OFF FOR AS LONG AS YOU CAN," Gohan barked.

"I don't take orders from children, boy," Vegeta smirked, "I order you not the other way around. Maybe I'll just let him finish you off and when he is weakened I will finish him off."

Vegeta ignored Gohan's ensuing rant as he looked up at Cell who was obviously confused and in some kind of pain "but," he said with a purely Saiyan smirk as the lust for battle arose in him, "this I'll do for myself."

"The challenge of a lifetime," Vegeta murmured as he flew off to battle with the still disoriented Cell, "not even Kakkarot could defeat him." Gohan and Krillan ran quickly over too where they last saw Makoto. "MAKOTO?" the monk questioned, as the half human boy warrior questioned Krillan on who was Makoto.

"Whew, that was close," Makoto commented as he floated up from deep underground. "My current state may be intangible towards matter but I don't know what a blast of energy like that could do to me. Who are all of you and what exactly is going on?"

"We need to talk and fast," Krillan said as he glanced up at Vegeta as he fought with the disoriented monster.

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Vegeta roared into his super Saiyan state as he rocketed up at Cell. With everything he had he unloaded on the distracted monster, punches, kicks, Ki Blasts he unleashed his full fury on the monstrous creation of Dr. Gero.

Cell, distracted by his internal battle did his best to counter the attacks by the saiyan prince but his timing was off and most blows he threw were deftly avoided by the prince.

Back and forth the two fought but as time went on it became obvious that whatever internal battle was going on, Cell was winning. Soon he would turn his full force on Vegeta, because even though the Prince had landed many blows they hadn't caused enough damage to truly slow down the monster.

When Cell would be able to finally focus his full attention on the fight Vegeta would be in big trouble.

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"Oh god," Makoto gasped, after the quick rundown on what had happened in this world both before and after Ifurita had arrived.

"Ifurita must be fighting him is my guess," he said after a moment to think. "That's the only answer to how she was able to respond when I confronted this Cell. I, could sense her, you know?" he said with a worried look to his eyes as he looked at the two warriors, "I knew she was there."

With a sigh and a shake of his head Makoto cleared his mind and focused on what was going on in the here and now, "the technology in Ifurita and in Cell must not be one hundred percent compatible with each other. So he can't yet fully subsume her like he could Android 17 and 18."

"That's what Ifurita said when I was trying to free her from Cell," Krillan exclaimed.

The two geniuses focused on the short warrior, "What EXACTLY did she say Krillan," Makoto asked.

"Well," he mused for a moment as he tried to remember the exact wording, "She said, 'rebooting systems into safe mode,' first. Then she said, 'firewall emplaced, systems not completely compatible,' and then she looked right at me and said 'use the power key staff'."

"Looks like you were right about their systems not being able to mesh perfectly," Gohan stated.

"Yes," Makoto murmured, "but the rest I'm not sure."

"Well rebooting into some kind of safe mode I don't know what that was for but the firewall may be that she was trying to protect some kind of specific command codes from Cell's hacking."

"INTER-REALITY TRAVEL," Krillan exclaimed suddenly. "Remember when they were fighting Cell seemed REAL interested in being able to travel to other realities."

"That's probably part of it," Gohan agreed, "that firewall is probably all that is protecting her higher functions from being completely erased by Cell."

"WE'VE GOT TO DO SOMETHING," Makoto begged desperately.

"I agree but we need to come up with some kind of plan first though," Gohan stated with a sigh. He continued with a shake of his head, "This is one of the things that Ranma was talking about, using my human side, the brains my mother gave me, we are going to have to out think Cell."

Then in a scared tone of voice Krillan said, "You guys better come up with something soon, because I don't think Vegeta will last long to much longer, it looks like Cell is beginning to regroup." With a nod to each other the two geniuses put their heads together and begin to outline a plan of action.

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Vegeta crashed into the ground nearby them and his arm was nearly wrenched off by Cells twisting of it. Gohan then turned to the others and said, "We're ready," Gohan flew up into Cell's field of view as Krillan and Makoto rushed over to the remains of Android #16.

Gohan floated a little ways away from the green beast that still held his head in his hand as he railed internally against Ifurita as no matter what he did he couldn't completely destroy her presence. With a sigh Son-Gohan said, "Your fight is with me not Vegeta." He then sat back and waited for Cell to make the next move he hoped he could buy Makoto enough time to instruct Krillan on how to build what they were going to need.

'If he is wrong in this it could be the end of everything in all realities, it does make sense though if by rebooting her systems she was trying to tell us that she reinitialized the disabled security/slave protocols Makoto mentioned it could be the key to stopping him and maybe saving Ifurita as well.'

As Cell swung around erratically as he cursed Ifurita, Gohan and anyone else that popped into his demented head. During all of that Gohan got a chance to see his back up close, 'yeah he was right there is a socket in his back now, small though, let's hope we can nail this.'

"Well here goes," Gohan sighed in resignation. "You know you are so stupid Cell how could you think it would be easy to take in an unknown form of technology, how pathetic you are, can't even beat a girl in your own head."

"SHUT UP!" the brute bellowed as he powered up and he began to finally put down Ifurita's struggles.

As he turned to face Gohan the boy in question screamed "NOW," and lunged forward so he could hold Cell in his current position even if only for a second.

With a murmured "please" Krillan hurled the power key staff like a javelin. Straight as an arrow the staff knifed through the air before it hit the socket on Cells back dead on which caused Cell to scream in pain as the staffs charging and slave circuits began to use their master command codes to override his own that had been altered by the subsumed Ifurita.

Before Cell could react to the new sensations that ripped through him Gohan used an anything goes move to flip around behind him. He grasped the handle of the staff as he began to turn it backwards in a counter clockwise movement. Energy began to bleed from Cell in a surge as it flowed into the staff and then feed into a heavy cable which had been connected to it. The cable which was made from components that had been taken from # 16 trailed back to Krillan and Makoto and attached to a rod also made of components taken from the android duplicate of Ranma's remains.

"NO," Cell screeched as he tried to fight the loss of energy but it got harder and harder for him the more power he lost. His hands clenched futilely as he tried to make himself shake off Gohan's efforts.

As the power from Cell got to the rod it traveled up its length and then it lanced deep into space in a beam of pure white power. "It's working," Krillan screamed over the sound of the power shooting into space. "Yes, the dispersal rod seems to be working like the ones Ifurita told me about. It's a good thing she told me how her creators would drain her kind of energy before they put them into storage." Makoto commented as his scientific reason remained in control as he tried to not think about the fact that his love is in trouble and pain while he couldn't do anything else to help her. "I can't even use my power because I can't actually touch him to make contact and infiltrate his systems."

"Uh Makoto?" Krillan questioned as he looked at the dispersal rod as it began to shake and smoke.

Seeing the jury-rigged tech as it began to break down Makoto yelled out too Gohan to hurry.

The screams of Cell and the pounding of his blood in his ears though meant that Gohan couldn't hear the worried yell of Makoto as the demi-saiya-jin though tried to turn the staff as quickly as he could. Its surface was blazing hot and smoking and it shook in his hands as it was not designed to handle this much raw energy, especially at so fast a pace. His hands were aching and burnt as Son-Gohan sweated thru grit teeth and tried to ignore the smell of his own burning skin. "8… 9… "Gohan grunted as he shook in an effort to hold it together.

"10," he screamed just as the dispersal rod exploded in a horrendous blast and the power key staff burnt out into a hunk of slag in Gohan's hands as Makoto's thought form was rocketed back thru the void between worlds like a snapped rubber band.

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Ranma Universe

The others appeared from the house as Kasumi had reached Makoto. "What's happened to Makoto?" Akane asked concerned.

"He was talking about coming in for a snack then he just screamed for Ifurita before he collapsed," she said in a worried tone of voice.

Any further discussion was cut off as Makoto's head stirred and he crooked out a questioning "Ifurita?" before he passed out again.

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DBZ Universe

As he rose from the ground Gohan looked around and he saw Krillan beginning to sit up on the ground some distance away and he was relieved greatly to see that at least one of his friends was still alive. Cell though was unmoving as he laid face down in the dirt; the melted power key staff was still sticking from his lower back. He walked over and he yanked the ruined metal out with a wince at the pain coming from his hands. Using his foot he flipped Cell over and he looked into Cell's wide open yet vacant eyes the boy calmly asked him "Cell?"

"Yes," the beast replied soullessly.

"Release Ifurita," the boy ordered.

"At once master," Cell stood up and his mouth began to expand until he leaned over and he disgorged Ifurita. As her head came into view Krillan staggered up as he yelled, "NO, we don't know if that will release him from your control or not. He may even still keep his Supreme state even without her; think about what happened when 18 got out and he came back from exploding."

Krillan's argument though was too late as Ifurita flopped onto the ground and Cell began to glow as he staggered back. Gohan picked up Ifurita and handed her to Krillan as he asked for him to get her out of there. The monk nodded his agreement as he flew some distance away.

As he faced the obscured form of Cell Son-Gohan got into a fighting stance and he heard Cells voice as it called out through the glow. When Cell stepped forward he laughed "I may not be Supreme anymore, but, I'm still perfect."

As he looked at Cell's restored perfect form Gohan commented with a snort "So what, KA-ME-HA-ME-HA!"

The blast began to rip thru Cell's unprepared defenses as his body was almost completely drained by the staff before he was forced to fall back to his perfect form.

As Cell tried to tried to mount a defense against Gohan's assault, Gohan taunted him in true Saotome fashion, "you're weak and pathetic Cell, Perfect my $$, I'm even stronger now than I was the last time I faced your 'perfectness' he mocked.

As he powered up even more Gohan's blast increased in strength, the beatings from Cell's supreme form and subsequent healings had increased his power so much so that he could completely overwhelm Cell's weakened perfect form. Then with a furious roar he vaporized the fiend in an explosion of unrelenting power.

The explosion expanded into a sphere of energy until it detonated and the shockwave washed over the area as a large mushroom shaped cloud filled the sky.

As the smoke cleared from the blast radius Gohan staggered over to Krillan and with a muttered "it's over," as he collapsed to the ground next to his friend. Gohan looked around at the bodies and unconscious forms that littered the ground around them. "What are we going to do now Krillan," Gohan asked quietly for once he sounded like the boy he was.

As he glanced at Vegeta's, 18 and Ifurita's unconscious forms as well as the bodies of fallen friends he looked at Gohan and said "now, we go to the lookout get healed and use the Dragon Balls as much as we can."

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To be continued in:

Chapter Six: Shades of the Future

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Endnotes:

Please let me know what you think and review, please. This ends the Cell Saga, there will be an aftermath saga then the next phase of this tale will begin.

Thank you and please review.

Signed: Verse12.


	7. Interlude One : Choices

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Only Human  
  
By Verse12  
  
Verse12@hotmail.com  
  
**********************  
  
Disclaimer:  
  
I do not own these characters nor do I claim too, this is a simple fan based homage. Their creators and the companies they work for and with own the characters and all that pertains to them. (I.E. Rumiko Takahashi, Viz, Shougakukan, Pioneer LDC, Hiroki Hayashi, Ryoe Tsukimura, Akira Toriyama) This is just fans of the shows expressing their love for it for fun, no profit is involved or expected thank you.  
  
Note: A little warning first, during the fight sequences I could only hint at some of the things that Ranma changed during the last twenty years. But now you will see some of the things that are different, and a lot of the DBZ cast will be OOC because the previous events that happened were totally different.  
  
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Interlude One  
  
Aftermath Part one  
  
Or  
  
Choices  
  
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The Other World:  
  
A large cloud with a mammoth structure resting on it sits in a pale orange / yellow sky. A trail of floating little clouds line up and enter the building. Off to the side a squat blue creature with antenna enters the structure after leaving behind two humans in orange gis that are jumping around and screaming in joy.  
  
"ALL RIGHT I KNEW THAT GOHAN COULD DO IT! THAT KID OF YOURS IS SOMETHING ELSE GOKU!"  
  
"OH MAN, CAN YOU FEEL HOW STRONG HE HAS GOTTEN THIS IS GREAT!" yells Goku.  
  
After a while of jumping around on a cloud in the after life the two warriors collapse onto their backs laughing. Following a few minutes of happy laughter Ranma sighs and says, "I guess they're going to get the dragon balls by now, yep in a little while we'll be back on earth and then maybe I can finally, well you know."  
  
With a sigh Goku smile fades away and says "yah I know, . . . Ranma, I have to let you know something, . . . I'm, . . . I'm not going back."  
  
Ranma looks over at Goku next to him and asks, "What did you say?"  
  
Looking away Goku says "I said, I'm not going back too earth this time."  
  
"I know I heard you," yells Ranma in anger.  
  
Confused the saiya-jin asks back "well why did you ask then?"  
  
"because i can't belive you could be so stupid!"  
  
"Hey, I'm not being stupid so cut it out."  
  
"YOU ARE BEING STUPID, WHAT ABOUT YOUR FAMILY? HUH? ARE YOU JUST GONNA ABANDON THEM?" yells Ranma.  
  
Standing up Goku looks onto Ranma as he to gets to his feet. "LOOK RANMA, I AM THINKING OF THEM, THIS IS ALL MY FAULT." Yells the spiky haired man, casting his hand in the direction of the line of little clouds. "ALL OF THESE PEOPLE DIED BECAUSE I WAS THERE."  
  
Getting up in Goku's face screaming, "WHAT KIND OF THINKING IS THAT? THE DRAGON BALLS WILL BRING THEM BACK SOON ANYWAY."  
  
Goku comes back yelling at Ranma, "THESE PEOPLE WERE GOING ABOUT THEIR LIVES, DOING THEIR THING UNTIL CELL CAME ALONG AND KILLED THEM. AND CELL WOULDN'T EVEN EXIST IF I WEREN'T THERE.  
  
Taking a deep breath Ranma calms down before continuing, "Look Goku I've been there for you, and you have been there for me for over twenty years. When Gohan-Sensei died I held you as you cried, and was there for you, to teach you and help raise you. I love you like a brother, heck sometimes I even think that this is what having a son must be like. What did I do wrong? How can you think to take on all of this onto your shoulders?"  
  
Calming down himself Goku looks at Ranma a tear in his eye, "Oneechan, (1) I don't know what I would be like if you hadn't been there for me. But you are one of the people who taught me that it is my duty as a martial artist to help protect the weak. These people need me to protect them; my family needs them to protect them and the best way to help them, . . . is for me to not be there."  
  
"Goku, that is BULL, you can't leave them Gohan is just a boy he needs his father."  
  
"I know that, but Gohan will be okay he's strong, LOOK, I'm doing this for THEM," yells Goku before flying away.  
  
As Goku flies away Ranma holds his hand out too him as if to draw him back by force of will, as Goku disappears around the building Ranma drops his hand and head. With a sigh Ranma mutters too himself "stupid kid, that boy needs a dad, and if you aren't going to be that for him then I guess I may have to." And with that Ranma's halo faded away, just before he too faded back to earth.  
  
To Be Continued in:  
  
Chapter Six: Transitions and Changes  
  
A Scene from Chapter 6 of Only Human:  
  
Huffing in fury over another TV special over that phony Son Gohan. "One day I will get my revenge on him, for the laughing stock he of made my father, I will have my vengeance," fumes the young girl named Videl.  
  
End Notes:  
  
How was that, this was just a little transition piece please let me know what you think. So please review, thanks.  
  
(1) - Oneechan means big sister. Yes big sister, remember Ranma was in female form when he arrived. He had amnesia at the time so he spent an undisclosed amount of time thinking he was a woman.  
  
Signed: Verse12 


	8. Chapter 6 : Shades of the Future

Fading into view before all of his friends Ranma Saotome looks around and sees that they are at Capsule Corp. Gazing around and seeing Gohan leaning on his mother, being helped to stand up, Ranma trudges over to them, dreading what is coming. Ignoring the greetings from friends Ranma keeps walking over to Gohan. Stopping in front of the boy and his mother, they still haven't noticed him as they peak around looking for Goku.  
  
Getting their attention with a cough he speaks, "Guys I have some bad news."  
  
************************  
  
Only Human  
  
By Verse12  
  
Verse12@hotmail.com  
  
**********************  
  
Disclaimer:  
  
I do not own these characters nor do I claim too, this is a simple fan based homage. Their creators and the companies they work for and with own the characters and all that pertains to them. (I.E. Rumiko Takahashi, Viz, Shougakukan, Pioneer LDC, Hiroki Hayashi, Ryoe Tsukimura, Akira Toriyama) This is just fans of the shows expressing their love for it for fun, no profit is involved or expected thank you.  
  
Note: A little warning first, during the fight sequences I could only hint at some of the things that Ranma had changed during the last twenty years. But now you will see some of the things that are different, and a lot of the DBZ cast will be OOC because the previous events in the past that were totally different.  
  
***********************  
  
Chapter Six  
  
Aftermath Part Two  
  
Or  
  
Shades of the Future  
  
*************************  
  
One Week Later,  
  
*************************  
  
A TV blares in a small dark room, "Join us next week as we do a in depth introspective on the boy who saved the world Son-Gohan. So see you next week on Weekly Insi."  
  
"CRASH!" Sounds through the room, a small boot sticking from the remains of the television screen, sparks and smoke filling the air around it.  
  
Huffing in fury over another TV special over that phony a young girl stands seething with her fists clenched at her sides after her outburst.  
  
"One day," she intones, her voice trying to sound angry even though it comes out as a cute squeak. "I will get my revenge on him, for the laughing stock he of made my father."  
  
"Those stupid people can't they see that they are being fooled. When that stupid BOY showed up, those sheep out there just loved him. And when daddy came home expecting his adoring fans they just ridiculed him and laughed at him, AND CALLED HIM A FAKE!"  
  
"HOW DARE THEY, HE IS THE GREATEST MARTIAL ARTIST ALIVE!"  
  
Suddenly breaking down crying the young girl falls to her knees and clutches her legs in her arms rocking back and forth. "Daddy," she whispers, "why did you have to go?"  
  
Firming her resolve she wipes her tears away and glares at a picture taken from a paper featuring Gohan. With a snarl she intones to the photo, "I will have my vengeance."  
  
And so with renewed tears in her eyes Videl sits on the floor of her room with only servants to care for her and wonders where her life went.  
  
************************  
  
Capsule Corp.  
  
Leaning on a window in an upper floor Ranma Saotome gazes at the gates of the compound. Where he sees the reporters still gathered around the wall hoping for a shot of anyone involved.  
  
"Geeze can't they get a life, we had a death in the family and they just want to make movies and junk about Gohan. Poor kid, I'd better go and see how he's doin today. He looses his dad and now his mom just shuts her self off in her room. Better check in on her to" he muses to himself as he rises to his feet and heads off to Gohan's room.  
  
Walking down the corridor he comes to Gohan's room knocking on it he receives a whimpered.  
  
"Come in."  
  
Opening the door Ranma walks in to Gohan's room, seeing the boy sitting at his desk looking at a picture of Goku, with tears in his eyes. Ranma was dejected to see the lad in such a state.  
  
"Hey kid, how're you doin today?"  
  
Looking up at his uncle, Gohan murmured, "kay I guess."  
  
"Hey you don't have to put up a front for me, I know it's hard," he says while ruffling Gohan's hair.  
  
Tears running down his checks Gohan begins to cry again latching onto Ranma's waist causing him to grunt in pain from the boy's fierce grip. Arms waving while turning blue a semi-panicking Ranma cries out, "GAHG, Gohan . . . hurts, pain . . . let go . . . blacking out."  
  
Gohan starts as he feels Ranma collapse onto him causing him to call out "UNCLE?"  
  
Setting Ranma on his bed Gohan pats his hand and face lightly, "uncle? Are you okay? Hey uncle?"  
  
"Uhhh?" moans the man, till he sat up on the sheets and begins smiling at the distraught boy "that's some grip you got kid."  
  
"Uncle I'm glad you're okay," yells the boy once again hugging him.  
  
"Easy kid, you got ta watch your strength."  
  
Sheepishly the boy answered "sorry."  
  
"It's okay you just need to watch it, you're stronger than you were last week. That's something we need to work on, get you used to your new level of power."  
  
"I . . . don't want to fight anymore uncle."  
  
". . .?"  
  
"Did you hear me uncle?"  
  
"Yeah, I just didn't expect to hear it. Why do you want to do something like that, not that you can't if you want?"  
  
After some time the boy blurts out, "I . . . just, it's just to hard to keep on."  
  
". . . alright kid if you mean it I can understand, you don't have to do anything you don't want to do. Just remember that we have a responsibility to the people of the world to use our strength to defend them."  
  
Yelling out suddenly enraged Gohan screams "DEFEND THEM? YOU WANT ME TO DEFEND THEM? MY FATHER DID THAT HIS WHOLE LIFE AND HE CHOSE, he chose" Gohan trails off his voice cracking from the emotion of it all. "He chose to protect them, over being with me and mom? He, how could he do that uncle? how could . . ." no further conversation comes as Gohan breaks down in uncontrollable sobs and wailing.  
  
"Oh geeze," murmurs Ranma pulling Gohan into a hug allowing him to cry himself out. Eventually the boy's tears trail off and he falls into a deep sleep. Smiling down at the lad sadly Ranma picks him up and places him on to the bed covering him with a blanket.  
  
Whispering Ranma says to the sleeping boy, "just rest kid it will get easier, and I'll be here for yah."  
  
Closing the door Ranma leans back against it and sighs, "I am not meant for this kind of stuff. Yet I always seem to be the one in them."  
  
Walking in the direction of Gohan's mother's room the man sigh's "that stupid Goku, I know I raised him better than this, I just can't understand him at times."  
  
****************************  
  
In another hall in the same wing of Capsule Corp.  
  
"Sigh" mutters Ranma standing in front of a door "lets do this."  
  
Raising his hand and knocking on the door he says "I can't handle all this, what am I a psyco . . . llalo . . . gam, um, a shrink."  
  
Getting no answer he nocks again, Sighing and calling out "it's me Ranma."  
  
". . ."  
  
"If I don't hear something saying otherwise I'm coming in."  
  
". . ."  
  
"Alright then, I'm coming in," he says out loud in a singsong voice trying to sound upbeat.  
  
Peaking thru the door Ranma pears into the dark room, "hey where are you?"  
  
Walking gingerly inside Ranma stumbles and falls over a pair of boots, crashing to the ground with a muttered curse.  
  
"Geeze, what are these doing out," looking around the room his eyes adjusting to the dark he sees all of Goku's things strewn about.  
  
Gazing at the king size bed in the middle of the mammoth room Ranma frowns seeing and hearing the form on the bed clutching one of Goku's gis to her chest crying softly.  
  
Walking over to the bed he sits down on it with another sigh Ranma gently pats her arm "hey, how you doin."  
  
". . ."  
  
"I, I know that this has to be hard, but Gohan really need you he, he has so much anger in him and pain. I'm tryin ta help, be there for him an all. But he needs you, he needs his mother."  
  
". . ."  
  
"I know we didn't get along that well when we first met but I think that we have become closer, cause we both care about Goku. Even though he is bein stupid."  
  
"I just wanted to tell you that Gohan needs you and that I'll be there for him . . . and you."  
  
"That's it okay," he says as he stands back up walking over to the door gingerly walking over the littered remnants of Goku's belongings. At the door Ranma turns around and looks back, seeing the ruffled blue hair of the woman on the bed he sighs and whispers, "take care Bulma, your to strong to let this get you down like this."  
  
Closing the door Ranma walks into the hallway with a sigh, till he stops and thinks to himself that he sure is sighing a lot.  
  
"Well since I seem to be making the rounds I better go down to the med-lab and check up on Ifurita. At least she seems to be getting better."  
  
******************************  
  
Subbasement three of the Capsule Corp. complex.  
  
Exiting the elevator into the metal corridor of the main medical level, Ranma Saotome walked down the hall glad that Bulma had a chance to look over Ifurita while the others gathered the dragon balls.  
  
'And Mr. Briefs has been checking up on her, though I ain't to happy about him and Mrs. Briefs choosing now to have to go to a convention on something or other.'  
  
Striding over to a door he placed his hand on a metal plate at its side. With a swish the door opened into a room lit with florescent lights and lying on a bed under the harsh lights is Ifurita a number of cables and wires running from her arms and the socket on her back into a series of machines on the far wall.  
  
Smiling at her as he strides in Ranma says, "Hey how're doing?" With a grin still planted on his face he sits down on the chair at her side.  
  
Turning over slowly the pale haired woman smiles weakly back at him. "Hello yourself. And I'm doing fine it's just my power level is very low right now and without my staff it will be difficult to recharge."  
  
"Ya I'm sorry about that."  
  
"It's alright it's not your fault that Shen-lon cannot recreate my staff since it is made from elements that do not exist in this reality."  
  
"Yeah that sucks, if he couldn't've affected things from or in other realities or I da've been home fifteen years ago. I do have some ideas about that, if Bulma doesn't get better and figures something on her own. Do you think a Senzu bean would give you a recharge?"  
  
"I really don't know, though I guess it couldn't hurt to try," replies the El-Hazardian android.  
  
Yeah when one becomes available we'll give it a try, and if that don't work, well I guess we can cross that bridge when we come to it."  
  
"How is Mrs. Son anyway?"  
  
"She, she's taking it pretty bad I guess, she didn't even show up to see Trunks off. That's kind of understandable seeing how in his reality she married Vegeta of all people, that might be hard on her what with Goku not coming home. But she's strong and I think she'll pull through."  
  
After an awkward pause Ranma continues to her, "Ifurita, can you still not sense Makoto?"  
  
". . ."  
  
"I . . . no, I can't. I just hope he got back after, everything that happened."  
  
"Listen I think it will be okay, from what Krillan said he disappeared after the staff exploded so he probably got sent back," explains Ranma trying to put her at ease.  
  
"You think so?" she asks quietly.  
  
"Yeah I think so." Smiling back at her.  
  
"Then so do I," she says smiling at him as well.  
  
"And look on the bright side at least Mr. Briefs got you and all these machines moved into the medical level instead of the repair bay, it's a lot more comfortable here than over there let me tell you."  
  
Smiling sweetly the android woman replies, "I'm sure your right about that."  
  
****************************  
  
The Ranma Universe.  
  
The Tendo Dojo, just moments after Makoto's mind returned.  
  
"Akane help me get him inside please?" asks Kasumi worriedly.  
  
"Oh, of course onee-chan," (1) says Akane in a concerned tone.  
  
Bending down Akane grabs the slight man and puts his arm over her shoulder lifting him up. Before Kasumi can get under his other arm Soun stops her "Daughters let me help," he interrupts lifting Makoto in his arms. Stepping up and thru the shoji (2) Soun Tendo places the young man down on a futon that Kasumi had drug out from the closet.  
  
Leaning against the wall by the stairs Nabiki murmurs sardonically "so what did you do to this guy Akane?"  
  
"SHUT UP NABIKI!" yells Akane turning to her sister in anger, "I didn't do anything, and Kasumi was with him when he just collapsed, right onee-chan?" (1) She asks Kasumi who is placing a wet cloth on Makoto's forehead.  
  
"Yes," she murmurs still worried for her guest, placing a blanket on top of him.  
  
"A bizarre look appeared on his face and then he screamed for Ifurita and collapsed."  
  
"What could have happened to him?" Nodoka queries, "I hope nothing happened to her, or Ranma."  
  
No one has anything to say to that except Akane who walks outside and looks at the sky and murmurs "me too."  
  
**************************  
  
The DBZ Universe  
  
After leaving the sub-levels Ranma walks to the kitchen for a bite, wondering what to do about all of the problems that seem to be gathering around him. Stepping up to the fridge and rooting around inside his grumbles are cut short by the sound of someone clearing their voice behind him.  
  
"Aachhum."  
  
Spinning around Ranma exclaimed in shock "Jeez, Gohan don't do that."  
  
"Sorry uncle," murmurs the boy sheepishly.  
  
"Sokay kid, you are getting good at that though if you can sneak up on me."  
  
" . . ."  
  
"Uhm? Uncle, I . . ."  
  
Quietly and with understanding Ranma leads Gohan over to the table and sits him down keeping his hand on his shoulder. "What's wrong Gohan?"  
  
Looking down at the tabletop fiddling with his fingers, "I want to apologize for earlier, I'm just upset you know?"  
  
"Yah I understand." With a smile Ranma asks him, "So do you feel a little better getting all of that off of your chest?"  
  
Smiling up at him Gohan chuckles a little, "yeah"  
  
". . . Uncle? I have thought about everything and I think I was a little hasty earlier, you know?"  
  
Smiling more broadly Ranma barks a quick laugh and sweeps Gohan into his arms "I knew you couldn't give up the art."  
  
Laughing happily as his uncle spins him around in the kitchen Gohan eventually is set down and latches onto Ranma's waist. "I love you uncle."  
  
Smiling fondly down on his 'nephew' Ranma hugged him back and said, "I love you to Gohan, and I'm here for you for as long as you want me," pulling him out at arms length he crouches down in front of the boy.  
  
"Gohan?" at his answering nod the boy's eyes shining with tears Ranma continues, "Do you want to go out and do some training in the hills?"  
  
Grinning from ear to ear the boy laughs and hugs Ranma again shouting out "YAA."  
  
"Okay go change and into your gi I'll meet you out front, kay?"  
  
"Unn," the lad grunts and scampers off to the stairs, only to stop on the first step and turn back to Ranma asking, "Do you think mom'll be okay?"  
  
"Ya, she'll be fine, I checked up on her and Ifurita just a little while ago, okay?"  
  
Looking sheepishly at his feet Gohan nods and thanks Ranma for all he has done for them.  
  
"Don't worry about it kid, your mom and me put aside our differences long ago, and even if we didn't I'd watch out for her, cause it's the right thing ta do."  
  
"Thank you," he murmurs feeling suddenly uncomfortable with his plans, Gohan runs upstairs to change.  
  
Watching him leave Ranma wonders what that look on Gohan's face meant before shrugging it off as nothing and walking out back to wait on the boy.  
  
***********************  
  
As Ranma and Gohan take off into the sky not caring about the clicking of the photographers' cameras or their shouted questions, a form dressed in black lowered a set of binoculars and nodded to itself.  
  
"Finally, now I will have my revenge and my proper place," murmurs a female voice from behind the black ninja like mask. With these words the figure stalks skillfully across the compound virtually invisible to sight.  
  
"Bulma . . . you . . . will . . . pay."  
  
************************  
  
To be continued in:  
  
Interlude Two: Ego  
  
A Scene from Interlude Two:  
  
Turning to face the prince of the Saiya-jin #18 yells back at him "YOU SHUT UP, stupid fool, you can't even use your arm.  
  
End Notes:  
  
One question for you my readers, it's about Gohan's age. In the cannon universe Gohan was 5 when Radditz showed up.  
  
-1 year training for Vegeta.  
  
-1 year between the time to Namek, the hunt for the Namek dragon balls, the fight with Frezza and the return home.  
  
-2 years waiting for Goku and fighting Garlic Jr.  
  
-3 years from the time Mirai-Trunks showed up till the androids.  
  
So not counting time in the ROST when Cell showed up Gohan was 12. Right?  
  
So then when Goku returns from the other world Goten is 6. So at least 7 years had to have passed since the Cell Games making Gohan 19 when he met Videl? That can't be right, can it? I always thought that he was 17 and going to high school not a guy who should be in college. So my question is can anyone tell me how a plot hole this big has not been brought up before? Or can anyone come up with a reasonable explanation. By the way what do you guys think of this new layout I'm using for my stories?  
  
(1) - Onee-chan means big sister. Yes big sister, remember Ranma was in female form when he arrived. He had amnesia at the time so he spent an undisclosed amount of time thinking he was a woman.  
  
(2) - A shoji is the porch and sliding rice paper door that leads to the koi pond  
  
Anyway as always please Review I really appreciate all of your comments even if you didn't care for something. I just ask that you tell me what you didn't like so I can maybe address it. And of course positve comments are very appreciated, so please Review, so thank you everyone.  
  
Signed: Verse12 


	9. Interlude Two : E g o

************************  
  
Only Human  
  
By Verse12  
  
Verse12@hotmail.com  
  
**********************  
  
Disclaimer:  
  
I do not own these characters nor do I claim too, this is a simple fan based homage. Their creators and the companies they work for and with own the characters and all that pertains to them. (I.E. Rumiko Takahashi, Viz, Shougakukan, Pioneer LDC, Hiroki Hayashi, Ryoe Tsukimura, Akira Toriyama) This is just fans of the shows expressing their love for it for fun, no profit is involved or expected thank you.  
  
Note: A little warning first, during the fight sequences I could only hint at some of the things that Ranma had changed during the last twenty years. But now you will see some of the things that are different, and a lot of the DBZ cast will be OOC because the previous events in the past that were totally different.  
  
***********************  
  
Interlude Two  
  
Aftermath Part Three  
  
Or  
  
Ego  
  
*************************  
  
Up in the mountains far from civilization sits a small cabin, once Goku his grandpa Gohan and Ranma lived there. For many years it has sat unused till, one day, the android woman named simply 18 happened to ironically stumble upon it. Not knowing who the previous owner had been she set about fixing it up trying to make sense of the things she has seen and experienced lately. Her life had been understandable to her before, destroy, that was her life's goal, now though, what with remembering her life before Dr. Gero, and her experiences sense wakening up she just doesn't know.  
  
'And now' she thinks 'that, that . . . BAKA man, the arrogant, ARGH. Why do I let him get to me so much, and why am I taking care of him? I just can't understand this, I find him passed out in the forest, why didn't I just destroy him?'  
  
As these thoughts flood thru her mind, Android 18 takes a series of logs and flings them into the air aiming her pointer finger at them she lets loose a thin beam of power. The logs then fall into a neat pile at her feet cut into precise pieces. Gathering them up in her arms she walks inside the cottage placing the wood next to the fireplace where a large cast iron pot sits suspended over it, it's contents bubbling and hissing.  
  
"Stupid woman I tell you I am fine," comes a grumbly voice from the cot in the corner.  
  
Turning to face the prince of the Saiya-jin #18 yells back at him "YOU SHUT UP, stupid fool, you can't even use your arm, AND you let infection set in. So unless you want to lose that arm you better be quiet. I don't even know why I'm helping you, now just let me get this soup done stupid man."  
  
Grumbling to himself "when I get out of this bed I'll kick your @$^."  
  
Smirking at Vegeta # 18 says, "you just couldn't let the Namekian kid heal you, had to be the big bad man after Cell kicked the crap out of you. And look at you now acting like a petulant child."  
  
"SHUT UP ONNA I AM NOT A CHILD," he roars trying to sit up obviously in great pain.  
  
Walking over to the struggling Saiya-jin, Android # 18 pushes the struggling man down with obvious ease. "Your fever will only get worse if you don't take it easy. And stop moving around or your arm will never heal, it was practically ripped off."  
  
Falling back onto the cot with a groan Vegeta mutters "Saiya-jin do not get sick woman."  
  
"Snort," laughs 18 in derision stirring the soup hanging over the fire, "that heart virus that Goku had was a sickness wasn't it."  
  
"That was just a one time thing," explains Vegeta petulantly.  
  
Turning around to Vegeta # 18 gestures with the wooden spoon in his direction asking, "you mean to say that no Saiya-jin in the history of Vegetasei ever got sick?"  
  
Self-consciously Vegeta looks away from her "not exactly, their were some diseases on Vegetasei, but no weak alien illness could ever hurt one of us."  
  
"Look Vegeta," she explains in a more soothing though slightly incredulous tone "you were beaten to a pulp by Cell, then instead of getting help you wandered off on your own to tuff it out. And cause you couldn't bring yourself to ask to stay with someone you just camped out in the elements.  
  
"Its no wonder that in your weakened state you got sick. It could happen even to you."  
  
"Even Saiya-jin have to have limits you know. You were just lucky I found you when I did or you would probably be dead already. And would that be any way for the prince of all Saiya-jin to die, Alone in the forest of a disease? "  
  
". . ."  
  
"Now lay there and shut up or you can go out there and die, I really don't care, I can't even tell you why I'm doing this anyway."  
  
With this statement # 18 turns away to tend the fire and soup thinking on her current situation. Vegeta though is angry over feeling so vulnerable, never in all his life has he been in a situation like this. And as he falls into a fitful slumber he can't help but feel on a subconscious level a certain warmth for the blond android.  
  
To be continued;  
  
In Only Human Chapter Seven,  
  
The Past Catches up  
  
A Scene from Chapter Seven;  
  
Gazing across the lab at the intruder and the sword bared at her, Bulma gulps muttering, "This is some time to try and get my life together."  
  
End Notes:  
  
Thank you for all your help with Gohan's age, and for your reviews I appreciate them all. And now another Question now that we have discussed Gohan's age what is Videl's age in relation to Gohan's? I mean is she older, younger, what? All of this is just so I can set the stage for things that will happen waaayyy in the future. Because mind you in this universe of my story Gohan is only ten when the Cell games happen. And as to Vegeta's behavior and the fact that he got sick, I just want to say that almost all of our knowledge about the Saiya-jin in the cannon universe comes from Vegeta himself. And would he admit to any fault or weakness? No way, a lot of times I think that Vegeta is just full of crap. And just to let you know I do like Vegeta, It's just that sometimes I think he needs a good kick in the pants. And in this universe he hasn't had Bulma's influence and because of things I am not going to go into he is slightly even more angry and arrogant.  
  
Anyway thanks for everything and please Review. 


	10. Chapter 7 : The Past Catches Up

The woman in black stalks skillfully to the rear door of capsule corp. unnoticed by the throngs of reporters at the gate. Crouching down with her back to the wall next to the door she reaches into a pouch at her waist pulling out a metallic box with two trailing wires. Taking the two probes at the end of the wires she affixes them to the security plate over her head. A press of a button on the box leads to a flair of electricity in the security plate followed by an acrid stench of smoke rising up. The click of the door opening is all she needs as she slips inside stashing the box back into her fanny pack.  
  
Stalking down the hallway crouched down she stops at an intersection her masked face gazing left and right. With a nod she takes off at a trot down the left corridor a katana attached to her back bouncing slightly to her movements.  
  
"Soon what was mine will be again" she growls out softly, "then you, you &*$#% will get what's coming to you."  
  
************************  
  
Only Human  
  
By Verse12  
  
Verse12@hotmail.com  
  
**********************  
  
Disclaimer:  
  
I do not own these characters nor do I claim too, this is a simple fan based homage. Their creators and the companies they work for and with own the characters and all that pertains to them. (I.E. Rumiko Takahashi, Viz, Shougakukan, Pioneer LDC, Hiroki Hayashi, Ryoe Tsukimura, Akira Toriyama) This is just fans of the shows expressing their love for it for fun, no profit is involved or expected thank you.  
  
Note: A little warning first, during the fight sequences I could only hint at some of the things that Ranma had changed during the last twenty years. But now you will see some of the things that are different, and a lot of the DBZ cast will be OOC because the previous events in the past that were totally different.  
  
***********************  
  
Chapter Seven  
  
Aftermath Part Four  
  
Or  
  
The Past Catches Up  
  
*************************  
  
Landing with a flare of energy Ranma and Gohan set down in a large meadow that is bordered on one side with a forest and on the other a brook. As they land in the idyllic landscape Ranma is happy to see Gohan smiling so much. Walking to the middle of the glade the two warriors begin to stretch lightly.  
  
"Hey Ranma?"  
  
Looking over to the boy Ranma smiles, "ya Gohan?"  
  
"Why did Vegeta just leave when he woke up? I mean wasn't he hurt pretty bad by Cell?"  
  
Snorting in derision at the mere thought of the prince, "I couldn't care less what that arrogant . . . son of a . . . whatever he is," finishes Ranma sheepishly trying to mind his language.  
  
Taking a deep breath Ranma continues, "Gohan, you know that me and Vegeta don't get along so I'd appreciate it if you didn't bring him up okay?"  
  
"Um, alright I guess."  
  
Kneeling down in front of the boy Ranma says "and to answer your question some times anger and ego can cloud your judgment, okay?"  
  
"Alright Uncle I think I understand."  
  
"That's a good boy," he says ruffling Gohan's hair.  
  
"Yah I understand that you have almost as much of a problem with those things as he does," Gohan says with a smirk.  
  
"Oh he has jokes now does he?" Says Ranma with a smirk of his own and a playful swipe at Gohan causing the boy to hop back. Continuing on in a self deprecating tone Ranma admits "though I have to admit you have a point, my ego still gets me in more trouble than I should let it. But enough of that kind of conversation are we here to spar or what?"  
  
Hoping back from each other and getting into a defensive stance they both grin at each other, till Gohan gets a confused look on his face and asks another question.  
  
"Uncle? I know you and Vegeta don't get along, but why did you and Trunks get along so well?"  
  
Getting a far away look in his eyes, thinking back on his friend recently left for his own time. Ranma replies, "we just hit it off I guess? It is surprising considering how me and Vegeta get along, he's just a good guy to have for a friend, you know?"  
  
"Ya he's the kind of guy you can count on. Though it is really weird the thought of mom and Vegeta getting together."  
  
"Tell me about it and the thought that Goku marrying that crazy lady Chi- Chi who tried to trick him into getting married is almost as nuts."  
  
Laughing at something Gohan asks Ranma, "Hey uncle how about how weirded out he was when he showed up thinking he knew how things were going to be and finding out everything was different. That was so funny how when he would find out something different he would freak out and run around waving his arms."  
  
Snorting out loud Ranma laughs at Gohan's comments glad to see him coming out of his shell. 'Now if I can just get him some friends his own age, course now that's gonna be hard what with all the reporters.' Thinks the man gazing fondly down on his young charge, who is literally rolling around on the ground laughing.  
  
Getting a sudden glint in his eye Ranma smiles and calls out, "hey Gohan?"  
  
Stopping his laughter the boy looks up at his uncle with tears of laughter, "yes uncle?"  
  
Large grin on his face Ranma yells out "ALWAYS BE ON GUARD!" Dashing forward Ranma performs a rising axe kick on Gohan causing him to go up into the air just before Ranma straight-arms him back, causing him to skip across the turf tearing it up.  
  
Coming to a stop in the stream Gohan stands up knee deep in water, "HEY?" he screams out moving just barely in time to avoid the follow up blow from Ranma.  
  
Coming to a stop in the center of the brook, a still male Ranma stands in a loose defensive posture facing Gohan who is in his own stance on the bank.  
  
"I know, I know, always be ready," murmurs Gohan before both he and his uncle flicker out of sight and collide in a flurry of blows in the air above the meadow.  
  
*************************  
  
Lying in bed clutching one of Goku's gi's Son-Bulma lays there, Ranma's words ringing in her ears.  
  
'I need to get over this' she thinks 'Ranma is right, much as I hate to admit to him being right about anything, I need to be there for Gohan.'  
  
'Oh Goku you stupid, stupid man, what can you be thinking. Couldn't you have talked to me, I knew you were guilty about all those people, but couldn't you have talked to me, that's what married people do.'  
  
Sitting up Bulma lets the covers fall away from her form, 'Those two years after you finally won the Budokai and we dealt with that awful Chi-Chi woman were just magic. After all we've been thru how can you do this.'  
  
"Snort" she remarks to herself before continuing in her head, 'not that I don't know of course.' She smiles to her self in a sweet way remembering her past with Goku. 'You sweet, sweet man always so caring, I suppose that why I fell in love with you. Always rushing off to help, and I can see how you felt the need to protect us all by being away. I just wish you could have just talked it over with me, you never think things thru, that's why we wake such a great team.'  
  
Standing up on the carpet Bulma rummages thru a drawer pulling out a pair of pants and a shirt before pulling them on, muttering to herself, " okay no more crying I have to be strong for Gohan if for no one else. And this is Goku we're talking about he could change his mind and come back anytime."  
  
Slipping on her shoes she walks over to the door, "now to see on my son like I should have done a week ago," she mutters, shutting the door to her room.  
  
***************************  
  
Glittering in the middle of the ocean like a jewel sits a small island. And on that small island sits a small house named kame-house named for the owner of the home, kame-senenin, the turtle hermit. Now the unageing martial arts master is not the only inhabitant of this home, no also in residence is the warrior monk Krillan, the shape changing pig man Oolong and as every one knows the one who keep Muten Roshi in line, the Turtle.  
  
Sitting on a beach chair and getting some rest in the sun is the turtle hermit himself a dirty magazine draped across his face. Oolong though is busy laughing it up at a despondent Krillan who is sitting on the front stupe.  
  
"You can't understand?" exclaims the pig man in his usual grunting voice.  
  
"I mean she just disappeared, you know I thought that, you know . . . maybe she might . . . you know kinda like me." He trails off into a mutter.  
  
"HAHAHAHAHA, you think that a fox like that 18 would go for you? HAHAHAHA!"  
  
"Oh shut up Oolong, stupid pig," he mutters darkly.  
  
"Would you both SHUT UP I'm tryin ta get some rest here, I've had a very hard day ya know," shouts Roshi from his lounge chair.  
  
"Ya a hard day a lying around doing nothing," exclaims Oolong sarcastically.  
  
"It doesn't matter, nothing matters," states the monk gloomily, "I'll never have a girl like that."  
  
"You'll be lucky to get a girl at all," laughs the shape changer.  
  
Looking darkly at Oolong Krillan exclaims "I should've known better than to think I would get any kinda sympathy from you," floating up as in preparation to fly away. "I'm going to go see if I can find Yamcha, I know he'll give me a sympathetic ear."  
  
"Hey wait a minute you might want to think on that a bit, cause Puar called and said causa what happened during the Cell games Yamcha wanted to go off on his own for a while," exclaims Oolong trying to draw Krillan back.  
  
A thoughtful look appears on Krillan's face as he floats down to the beach, "Yah I can understand that, things were . . . bad."  
  
In a more understanding tone Oolong asks, "Was it as bad as that?"  
  
Looking over at the pig, Krillan nods "yah, it sure was I don't think I can describe it, things just got worse and worse. But not surprisingly, Ranma was our inspiration, I don't know how he was able to do it, he was . . . fearless he actually staggered Cell, a HUMAN and he staggered Cell, made me . . . proud. Course he got ripped apart but he hurt him, seeing him in action, Oolong was almost enough for me to begin to subscribe to Ranma's crazy theory."  
  
Looking to the blue-sky Krillan smiles and murmurs, "just maybe there is a bit of truth in his idea, just maybe."  
  
*****************************  
  
High above the world in first class of a large jumbo jet sits a man with a number of facial scars and even more emotional ones.  
  
Sipping his champagne Yamcha leans his head against the plastic of the window. "I could've been to the northern continent by now, of course it would be the ultimate no frills in flying," he smirks to himself. Before sipping his drink again, "and of course I love the trappings of the easy life," he mutters loathingly to himself.  
  
Leaning wearily against the window, Yamcha sighs, "the Cell games, everything was going, well not fine but we were managing things."  
  
'When did I become such a coward, when I sensed how strong Supreme Cell was I just snapped. I just couldn't take it, why haven't I trained more seriously everyone was working hard to train for the Androids I slacked off more often than not,' thinks Yamcha with self-loathing.  
  
"How does he do it," he whispers "he never gave up, thru it all he faced Cell down with a grin. We're both human, but he's so . . . unbelievable."  
  
Leaning back in his chair Yamcha sighs then sits forward and grins, "if he can do it so can I, I thought I needed a vacation but I see now, I need to get back to basics, training 101."  
  
"Excuse me sir?" asks the flight attendant, "do you want another drink?"  
  
Looking over to her Yamcha shakes his head, "No I don't want anything alcoholic but some water would be nice, I've got to clear out my system."  
  
"Of course sir one minute please," she replies with a smile taking the half empty champagne glass with her.  
  
Smiling out the window Yamcha murmurs, "the desert bandit lives again."  
  
***********************  
  
Shambling down the stairs Son-Bulma walks into the kitchen, once there she sees and senses Goku everywhere. Tears threatening again she mumbles with a loving smile and a light laugh, "his favorite room."  
  
"No I'm not going to start that again," she exclaims to herself wiping the threatening tears away.  
  
"But where are they? Gohan and Ranma aren't in their rooms, not in the Grav room?" snapping her fingers Bulma exclaims, "I know, I'll go get a scouter from the lab that way I can track 'em down."  
  
Walking down a nearby corridor and over to an elevator, Bulma mutters as only a mother can "don't worry Gohan-chan momma's gonna be okay we both are" just as the elevator doors close.  
  
************************  
  
Striding purposely down the level 1 subbasement hallway Bulma is mentally deriding herself for her behavior recently, 'I have been so selfish, I am stronger than this, and I can get thru this. And knowing Goku he could show up at anytime with that sweet grin on his face' she smiles.  
  
"Hey," she stops suddenly in the hall, then with a grin on her face and an idea forming in her head she murmurs, "that deposit left over from that old experiment's still down here in the lab fridge, and that gives me an idea."  
  
This last is murmured with a smirk as Bulma continues "in fact I think it will be nice to have a surprise waiting for him, when he finally gets it thru his fool head that he should be here with his family."  
  
Smiling brightly for the first time in a long while Bulma walks into her lab only to freeze when she sees a shadowy figure lurking in her lab. With Bulma's entrance the figure spins about a sword flashing into her hand pulled from her behind her back.  
  
Gazing across the lab at the intruder and the sword bared at her, Bulma gulps muttering, "This is some time to try and get my life back together."  
  
To be continued in:  
  
Interlude Three: Friends  
  
A Scene from Interlude Three:  
  
The three-eyed man Teinshinhan and his little friend Cho-Tzu burst at each other in a flurry of motion Cho-Tzu's little frame weaving about his larger comrades blows avoiding them. His squeaky voice calls out "you see Tein I can keep up you didn't have to leave me behind."  
  
Endnotes:  
  
Thanks for all of your kind words, please keep up the reviews I appreciate it. Oh and I have thank you for all the advise on Gohan and Videl's respective ages. Some people have expressed concern over the direction of this story, I just ask that if you have liked it so far stick it out I have some good stuff coming and if you have any thing you would like to see please just tell me I may be able to work it in. anyway thanks, oh and HAPPY DAY I HAVE BROKEN 25,000 WORDS YYYAAAHHHH!!! AND 40 REVIEWS thank you everyone.  
  
Signed: Verse12 


	11. Interlude Three : Friends

************************  
  
Only Human  
  
By Verse12  
  
Verse12@hotmail.com  
  
**********************  
  
Disclaimer:  
  
I do not own these characters nor do I claim too, this is a simple fan based homage. Their creators and the companies they work for and with own the characters and all that pertains to them. (I.E. Rumiko Takahashi, Viz, Shougakukan, Pioneer LDC, Hiroki Hayashi, Ryoe Tsukimura, Akira Toriyama) This is just fans of the shows expressing their love for it for fun, no profit is involved or expected thank you.  
  
***********************  
  
Interlude Three  
  
Aftermath Part Five  
  
Or  
  
Friends  
  
*************************  
  
Far into the wilderness on a wooded hillside sits a stone cottage a simple structure but the inhabitants are far from simple. A thunderous battle cry that fills the air as in a nearby clearing disrupts the idyllic scenery and causes flocks of birds to rise into the air looking to escape the source of the disruption. The three-eyed man Teinshinhan and his little friend Cho- Tzu burst at each other in a flurry of motion Cho-Tzu's little frame weaving about his larger comrades blows avoiding them. His squeaky voice calls out "you see Tein I can keep up you didn't have to leave me behind."  
  
Flipping back Tein clips Cho-Tzu in the chin with his foot sending him flying high into the air landing in a handstand Tein launches himself up after the little man. Cho-Tzu recovers his wits in time to avoid the dual mule kick coming his way and he counters with a flicker of his hands sending out pinpoint blasts of power that hit Tein sending him crashing to the terrain far below tearing up the trees and grass.  
  
Righting himself quickly Tein flares his power in a corona about himself before launching himself at his diminutive partner. "It's not about that it's because it is my responsibility to look after you, that is my duty and my bond. To forever protect you."  
  
Caught of guard Cho-Tzu is pummeled by an overhead dual fisted blow to his head that sends him crashing into the ground in an explosion of soil. Slowly getting to his feet the little man looks at his larger comrade a tear in his eye as he questions the suddenly concerned Tein. "I thought we were beyond that?" his tiny voice echoes in the vast mountain range.  
  
"You have been my protector my entire life and when the people of Mifan overthrew my rule and installed my brother as king you were the one who snuck me out of the castle dungeon and to safety. And at first you still treated me as the king who you served but as time went on you and I became friends truly, or at least I thought so till now. Tell me Teinshinhan do you still view me as your king and you as my bodyguard or are we in fact friends?"  
  
Walking over to Cho-Tzu and in a serious way crouching down Tein looks him dead in the eye and speaks with utmost solemnity. "Cho-Tzu we are friends as you say, but always it is your safety that is my concern. As a young boy my father taught me that it would be my duty to protect you just as he protected your father. I always looked up to him, as all I could hope to be so I dedicated my life to being the best protector I could be that is why even after the throne was lost to you I stayed and protected you. And why I regrettably agreed to train under Tsurusennin with you. And you know how much of a disaster that turned out to be."  
  
Looking down at the ground Cho-Tzu sighs and then looks up back at Tein "I know that learning from Tsurusennin was something you regret, not the techniques we learned or the fact that I learned how to protect myself but how he gradually influenced us turning us into the very things we were fighting against. But we came thru that and everything has been better. You need to not dwell in the past so much."  
  
Sighing and standing up Tein wanders over to a fallen tree trunk where he sits on it and looks over to Cho-Tzu. And with a chuckle the three-eyed warrior shakes his head, "okay Cho-Tzu your right, I spend to much time in the past. But you need to understand a part of me will always need to protect you."  
  
Striding over to Tein Cho-Tzu smiles "alright I guess I can deal with that, but you need to understand that if I wanted a bunch of followers I would have taken back Mifan from my brother years ago. I just wanted a friend, that's all."  
  
"Alright Cho-Tzu, I think deep down that I just wanted a true friend as well."  
  
Hopping up next to Tein on the tree trunk Cho-Tzu looks up at him asking. "So you want to finish sparing or do you want to get something to eat."  
  
Smiling Tein stands up "Lets get some food in us I feel as hungry as Goku."  
  
Laughing at Tein's joke Cho-Tzu scampers a ways ahead, "Me to."  
  
*************************  
  
To be continued in:  
  
Only Human Chapter Eight:  
  
No time like the present  
  
Gohan blazes thru the air his power leaving a swath of destruction in his wake his murmured wish echoing fervently in his heart "hold on mom I'll be there soon, just hold on, I can't loose you too."  
  
Endnotes:  
  
Since in the cannon TV series, Dragon Ball really doesn't give much in the way of a back-story for Tein and Cho-Tzu other than they are students of Tsurusennin. I decided to use a small bit of the out of continuity Dragon ball movie # 3 to give them a back story from before they were trained by the Tsurusennin. Namely that Cho-Tzu was a king of Mifan and that Tein was his bodyguard. Other that though I didn't use anything else.  
  
A question please:  
  
How many Senzu can Korin grow in a single year? I just don't know the answer to that one please advise, thanks.  
  
Signed: Verse12 


	12. Chapter 8 : No Time like the Present

Finally arriving at the lab, the black-garbed figure squints her eyes in the dim illumination.  
  
"Bingo," she whispers sighting a large steel refrigerator on the wall.  
  
Striding confidently toward it she removes a small bottle of something from her pouch "finally, all mine."  
  
Seeing the lock on the door of the fridge she sets the bottle on a nearby table and begins to pick it open. While muttering over how she wishes she could just turn on the lights without sounding an alarm. Popping open the door she smiles beneath her mask as she sees the object of her quest after a cloud of vapor exits the newly opened door.  
  
"At long last."  
  
SWISH resounds the door to the lab as it opens in the enclosed space. And without a thought she spins about bringing her sword to hand ready to attack her discoverer. And as the back lit figure standing in the doorway gradually comes into focus she growls under her voice, "Bulma."  
  
************************  
  
Only Human  
  
By Verse12  
  
Verse12@hotmail.com  
  
**********************  
  
Disclaimer:  
  
I do not own these characters nor do I claim too, this is a simple fan based homage. Their creators and the companies they work for and with own the characters and all that pertains to them. (I.E. Rumiko Takahashi, Viz, Shougakukan, Pioneer LDC, Hiroki Hayashi, Ryoe Tsukimura, Akira Toriyama) This is just fans of the shows expressing their love for it for fun, no profit is involved or expected thank you.  
  
***********************  
  
Chapter Eight  
  
Aftermath Part Six  
  
No Time Like the Present  
  
*************************  
  
Gazing across the lab at the intruder and the sword bared at her, Bulma gulps muttering, "This is some time to try and get my life back together." Glimpsing the hate filled eyes thru then hole in her mask causes Bulma step back.  
  
'Oh crap' okay, calm down Bulma think, there has to be a way out of this. The door has already closed automatically and all we have to see are the standby lights so I need an edge to survive this. If I try to make a run for it she'll cut me down for sure.  
  
Flickering her eyes to the work desk, 'That's it!' she thinks spying a watch sitting in a small bin on the table. Of course that momentary distraction is all the masked woman needs as she launches herself into the air, her sword held high as she prepares to deliver a deathblow to the blue haired woman below her.  
  
Sensing the presence over her head Bulma looks up and sees death looming and with wide eyes she exclaims "ah jezz."  
  
*************************  
  
Out in a recently enlarged field, the nearby forest being pretty torn up, Ranma and Gohan lay on the grass looking up at the sky breathing heavy from their work out. After some time Gohan sighs and murmurs to Ranma "hey uncle?"  
  
Smiling in the sunlight, his eyes closed Ranma replies, "Ya?"  
  
"I was just wondering, do you miss where you came from?"  
  
Opening his eyes in confusion and rolling over onto his elbow Ranma asks, "Now what brought that on."  
  
Looking over at Ranma, Gohan said, "I just wondered that's all."  
  
A concerned look on his face Ranma asks him, "Are you worried about me leaving to?"  
  
"NO," he blurts out then in a quieter tone "no, it's just you used to tell all these stories about there. But lately you don't seem to mention it as much, and now that Ifurita is here you may finally have a chance to get back there. I was just wondering if you still miss it, that's all."  
  
Lying back on his back Ranma sighs then in a quiet tone he replies, "I guess I just finally resigned myself to never going back."  
  
"Well now you have a shot, do you . . . do you, you know, think you might want to?"  
  
Sitting up Indian style Ranma looks over at Gohan who rises into a sitting position. And in a paternal tone he tells Gohan, "Gohan, I told you that as long as you need me I will be here. I ain't gonna to leave you too."  
  
Blushing slightly Gohan looks down to the ground, "I appreciate that but I just wondered what you might miss there you know I'll be okay right? I was just worried about you, you've spent the last twenty years taking care of my family, I was worried that maybe you may miss your family."  
  
Getting choked up slightly, Ranma looks at Gohan in pride, "Gohan, you have got to be the best kid in the world, and to answer your question, the reason I've spent twenty years taking care of Goku and then you and your mom is that I consider you guys my family. I mean sure I miss my mother; I never had a real relationship with her. What with me being on that ten- year training mission and just as we were getting to know each other better I got sent here. I guess I would kinda like ta make it up to her somehow, you know?" He says looking at Gohan questioningly.  
  
Gazing at Ranma, the demi-Saiya-jin boy frowns and says, "I never really thought about that, I mean I knew you went on that trip with your father, but I never really thought about how you never really had a chance to get to know your mother."  
  
Flopping down onto the warm grass Ranma looks up at the clouds "ya, I mean I spent the first five years I was alive with her but you really cant get to know someone as a kid that little."  
  
Then in a sly tone Gohan asks "so are you sure it's only your mom that you miss?"  
  
Raising one eyebrow he peers out at Gohan and asks, "and just what are you getting at?"  
  
"Oh nothing," he asks, looking at anything but Ranma.  
  
Smirking slyly himself, Ranma says, "well I miss mom, and even pop some, he would flip out over some of even the most basic techniques we use here. And I miss . . . oh Kasumi, she makes some of the best food ever! Well her and my mom."  
  
"Ya, cooking is something mom never truly mastered," mutters Gohan dejectedly as only one of saiya-jin blood could do when talking about mediocre food.  
  
"Ain't that the truth," laughs Ranma, "although she is better than some I know back home." He says in a suddenly melancholy voice.  
  
Glancing at Ranma, Gohan changes the subject, "Ranma I think that if Ifurita ever feels up to it you should go back there."  
  
"WHAT?" Yells Ranma confused by the statement.  
  
"I just think that you should go back there, you have a lot of unresolved things to deal with and I think you should deal with them while you can. Besides I know what it's like to miss out on things."  
  
"Um?" asks Ranma in confusion, "so you think that . . . um . . . I should go back to Nerima and deal with them. What about you guys? I can't just leave you all?"  
  
Smiling at his uncle, Gohan says "hey if Ifurita can go then she can come back, right? Who's to say you have to go forever?"  
  
Looking in amazed way at the boy, Ranma mutters, "You have got to be one of the smartest kids ever. Though it's no wonder considering who your mother is, I mean we may not have always gotten along but she is really smart. Don't tell her I said that though."  
  
"I won't, and it'll probably be a while before Ifurita is in any shape to make the trip, and by then mom should be better."  
  
Smiling as he stands up and gives Gohan a hand, Ranma says "yeah that's true Bulma's to strong to let this get her down for to long."  
  
"Ya you need to go get some things done, then come back. Hey maybe you can get a life of your own while your gone," says Gohan with a laughing grin.  
  
Smiling back and giving a playful swipe at the boy Ranma says, "oh and here are the jokes again huh?"  
  
Laughing and dancing out of reach Gohan yells back, "have to be faster than that."  
  
"Oh I think I can do that," he says getting in a martial arts stance, only to freeze as a worried look crosses his face. Then slowly he turns and looks west toward Capsule Corp.  
  
"Bulma?" He asks in confusion.  
  
A concerned look of his own appearing on his face, Gohan asks his uncle "mom? What's wrong with her?"  
  
Looking over to the boy who is straining to pick up his mothers presence far away, "trouble, I think."  
  
Finally getting a feel for her, Gohan senses his mother's life and death struggle "MMMMOOOMMM!!!!" he shouts out as he launches himself toward home.  
  
And as Gohan blazes thru the air his power leaving a swath of destruction in his wake he murmurs a wish that echoes fervently in his heart "hold on mom I'll be there soon, just hold on, I can't loose you too."  
  
***********************  
  
Ten minutes ago at Capsule Corp.  
  
"Ah Jezz," mutters Bulma as she sees the sword coming down on at her. And with a diving somersault that leads into a handspring flip Bulma evades the blow. Finding her self next to a rack of steel pipe Bulma grabs one four- foot segment. Holding it in a defensive stance to ward off the sword- wielding intruder.  
  
"I don't know who you are, but you broke in to the wrong place. My husband was the Budokai winner and he made sure I knew enough to take care of myself from the likes of you.  
  
The only reply to this statement is a barely audible growl from the masked woman as she attacks the blue haired scientist. Bringing her sword around in a strike that if it had hit would have cleaved Bulma from her left hip to her right shoulder. The steel pipe in Bulma's hands though blocks the blow, the clanging of the hit ringing out in the room.  
  
"Have to do better than that girly," mutters Bulma with a smirk. Only to have that wiped off her face as she is forced to defend herself from a ferocious assault of combinations by the sword-wielding assailant.  
  
"CLANG"  
  
"CLANG"  
  
"CLANG"  
  
Resounds throughout the room as the two fight in the confined space knocking over and crushing various things about the room as they crash into them.  
  
Waiting for the right time to present it self for her Bulma gets it when a wild swing of her opponents sword catches the bottle that the woman had brought in with her. The contents, being under pressure, explode out in a cloud of vapor that causes the woman too cough wildly.  
  
Dancing back out of reach of the cloud Bulma uses the opportunity to try to strike the masked woman with an overhand blow from her improvised staff. Only to have it blocked with the woman's sword as she focus's thru the choking, eye watering powder in the air.  
  
Bulma realizes that this woman is out of her league as the return stroke from the sword clips her shoulder; this causes her to decide to go back to her original plan. While the woman is still partially occupied with the dissipating vapor, Bulma performs a backwards one handed flip over a heavy metal table in the middle of the room landing by a oak work table loaded with many small plastic bins. Keeping one eye on the woman staggering over to her Bulma grabs a small watch and slips it on. Then with a heave Bulma flings the pipe at the woman clipping her in the arm. In the distraction caused by this Bulma pushes a button on the watch causing herself to be surrounded by an energy field that shrinks her out of sight.  
  
Shaking off the wild blow, the black masked figure looks back to where Bulma should be only to be met by an empty space.  
  
"Wha?" she utters taking a step back in confusion, and then stalking forward slowly she glances about frowning beneath her mask obviously unnerved about this development. Getting to Bulma's last position she looks about the ground and the ceiling frowning she mutters "Where?"  
  
Her confusion is cut short as a flash of light at her feet quickly expands into a rapidly growing Bulma who clocks her in the jaw with a rising upper cut, sending her back with a crash into the steel table.  
  
A wild swing of the sword causes Bulma to hop back to avoid a disembowelment. Turning a dial on the watch causes Bulma to shrink down to action figure size and once in her tiny state she dives under the heavy oak worktable.  
  
"FILTHY WHORE" roars the intruder bringing her sword down and cleaves the heavy oak table and a good portion of the floor beneath it in half, with an explosion of wood and concrete.  
  
"Where?" she mutters stirring the wood on the floor with her boot. After a good two minutes of no sign, the intruder swears to herself and turns quickly to the fridge she was at when she arrived. Keeping an eye out for Bulma, since she could literally pop up anywhere the black-garbed woman looks into the fridge and swears again. Fuming the woman reaches in and grabs a handful of vials out of a rack inside the fridge and she also grabs a small metal box; four or five labels drop off the vials and to the floor though.  
  
Not caring anymore the woman sticks the vials into a steel tin and then into her pouch. And with one last look at the shattered oak worktable she spits on the remains. Turning for the door she bolts out no longer caring about alarms, knowing she only had a short time before the men would return.  
  
***********************  
  
Bursting thru the roof of the arboretum Gohan lands in the grass scaring all of the animals and dinosaurs away from him. Looking about frantic Gohan begins to rush through out the Capsule Corp. compound, screaming "MMMMOOOOMMMM, where are you?"  
  
Zipping in thru the hole in the roof Ranma lands in the grass "Gohan? Where is that boy?" Following the sounds of destruction Ranma zooms after the frenzied lad.  
  
Finally finding the boy in his mother's room flinging the heavy canopy bed with one hand. His casual toss causing it to shatter against the wall, all to check underneath for his mother.  
  
Standing up he looks about with wild eyes, "MMMOOOMMM?" he screams out really beginning to worry.  
  
Walking up to the boy Ranma grabs his shoulder trying to calm him down. "Gohan? Clam down, we'll find her I'm sure she's okay."  
  
Throwing off Ranma's hand forcefully, actually wrenching it in the socket, "I KNEW WE SHOULDN'T LEAVE HER ALONE! SHE'S BEEN SICK AT HEART FOR A WEEK! AND WE LEAVE HER TO GO HAVE FUN SPARING!" this last being screeched out sarcastically.  
  
Still speaking calmly his arm-hanging limp at his side Ranma holds his other hand out like one would do with a wild animal, "Gohan you need to calm down, it's no wonder we can't sense her with all the power you're throwing off. Now just calm down, I'm sure she just got up to do something. We were just saying how strong she is and maybe she finally got about her business."  
  
Still harried, but calming down slightly Gohan murmurs reproachfully, "if anything happens to her I'll never forgive you . . . or myself" he finishes quietly.  
  
Standing back in shock at the cold look in Gohan's eyes, Ranma firms his gaze on the boy's eyes speaking calmly, "Gohan I know you're under a lot of stress now and you're worried about the possibility of losing your only parent left, so I won't take that personally, but I really need you to calm down so we can find her, okay?"  
  
Stepping back and closing his eyes Gohan takes a deep breath and lets it out. Looking back at Ranma, Gohan looks down again sheepishly muttering, "I'm sorry uncle I'm just so worried about her," he looks back at Ranma tears rolling down his cheeks.  
  
"Awe, kid it'll be fine you'll see" says Ranma pulling the boy into a hug with his good arm.  
  
Sniffling Gohan, mutters into Ranma's chest how sorry he is about his arm, "don't worry about it kid, now," he exclaims holding Gohan out at arms length. "Now calm down and let me concentrate on her, kay?"  
  
"Uhn!" he grunts in acknowledgment.  
  
Closing his eyes Ranma breaths in and out deeply feeling for Bulma's presence. A sharp intake of breath and an exclaimed "found her." Is greeted by Gohan's excited yell of "REALLY?"  
  
"Yah really, she's down in her lab I think." Any further comments are cut off as Gohan blasts out of the room and to the elevator, ignoring Ranma's shout of "hey be careful her energy is really low."  
  
"Crap, that kid is getting harder and harder to deal with," he mutters with a shake of his head, running after the boy.  
  
**********************  
  
Floating down the shredded and melted elevator shaft Ranma shakes his head following the path Gohan has taken. Down in the lab Gohan screams for Bulma as Ranma runs into the room.  
  
"MMMOOOMMM?"  
  
"Hold on Gohan she's here some were."  
  
"Where? Uncle, huh? This place is destroyed but it's so small we would see her here somewhere. Are you sure you felt her here?"  
  
"Yah she's here some where Gohan now calm down, kay?"  
  
Taking a deep breath Gohan murmurs "I'm just so worried."  
  
"I know Gohan," says Ranma squeezing his shoulder.  
  
This moment of bonding is cut off as a flash of light and a moan comes from under a destroyed table. The table then proceeds to shift about as a human body grows from underneath the wood.  
  
"MMMOOOMMM!" shouts Gohan once more rushing to Bulma's side, throwing the hunks of table away.  
  
"Gohan? Is that you?" she mutters rubbing her head with her hand.  
  
"Yes, mom are you okay? What happened? Are you hurt?" he frets urgently hovering protectively about her.  
  
"Yes, yes I'm fine calm down," she states standing up wobbly being supported by her son. "We had a break in, I fought with her . . ."  
  
"YOU FOUGHT WITH HER?!" He screeches in shock his eyes wide.  
  
"Yes I fought her," she replies sarcastically. "Jeez, your father did teach me a thing or two you know?"  
  
Blushing sheepishly Gohan looks down at the ground stirring some debris with his toe. "Sorry I just never've seen you fight anything or even practice."  
  
"It's true I haven't fought in a while, but I do practice to keep in shape. But I obviously wasn't good enough . . . she got away. I had to use my shrink watch to hide, she still nicked my shoulder before I got to it," she states holding it up for their inspection the slight cut already clotting.  
  
"MOM," freaks Gohan grabbing her arm to look at the cut.  
  
"NOW YOU CUT THAT OUT YOUNG MAN," she yells yanking her arm out of his grasp. "I've been in more tuff situations than most people and I can take care of myself."  
  
Smiling sweetly in a motherly way, "I appreciate that you're worried son," she says crouching down and looking him in the eye. "But you can't live your life in fear, you just . . . have . . . to . . . my lab?" She trails off her eyes widening and taking in the destroyed room.  
  
"AH CRAP!" she screams at Gohan, forgetting he was right in front of her. Standing up she looks around and walks over to some ruined piece of equipment picking up apiece she snorts and tosses it on pile "well this is just great."  
  
"Um? Mom? Are you sure your alright?"  
  
"Huh? Oh honey I'm sorry," she says turning back to the worried Gohan. "It's that I just realized how trashed this place is."  
  
"And I'm so sorry for how I've been acting this last week," she says contritely looking ashamed at her son.  
  
Sheepish looking again Gohan murmurs "that's okay you were hurting."  
  
"That's no excuse, you are the most important thing in my life and I should have dealt with your pain before my own." Tears in their eyes the mother and son hug and cry for a while saying how they will deal with this and how things will be okay, and Gohan saying how he will be there for her to help in any way.  
  
After a time the two separate, sniffles punctuated by a rubbing of eyes and an almost relived pair of smiles adorn their faces. Bopping the tip of his nose with her finger, Bulma asks him "you gonna be okay?"  
  
Smiling at his mother the boy just nods at her happy that she is doing better even if it took an attack to help her get over her funk.  
  
After a while Bulma stands back up groaning from being crouched down so long she turns to Ranma who had kept himself out of the way trying not to disturb the pair.  
  
"And you," she says stalking over to him a fierce glare in her eyes she gets right up in Ranma's face before she smiles and gives him a kiss on the cheek. "That is for being such a good friend, I can't thank you enough for taking care of Gohan like you have."  
  
Blushing sheepishly Ranma rubs the back of his neck with his hand in a gesture he has used for a long time. "You don't have to thank me, Gohan's a great kid, I love him like he was my own. And heck as his godfather what else could I do, you know?" He says breaking into a smile of his own.  
  
Still smiling Bulma turns once more to the ruined lab, muttering "now lets try to see if she took anything, though that's going to be tuff in this mess."  
  
"What did she look like?" asks her son.  
  
Glancing at him she ruffles his hair and gives a brief run down of her encounter with the masked woman to the two Z-Senshi.  
  
Frowning Ranma rubs his chin in thought before saying "the fact that she got all the way down here with out setting off alarms, and knew when we," he says while pointing to himself and Gohan, "would be out of the house says a lot."  
  
"Yah, it does," mutters Bulma in thought slowly, "this was well planed and executed the only reason I caught her was the fact that I was coming down her to look for a scouter to find you guys.  
  
"In FACT," she exclaims snapping her fingers "she was over here at this fridge when I opened the door."  
  
Stalking over to the still open fridge door she peers inside "CRAP," gripes again.  
  
"What is it Bulma?"  
  
"When that canister over there exploded and the gas got inside here. I don't know what it was but I do know that it made all the glue come loose on the labels in here. I mean look at this mess everything is either missing a label or it's just about to fall off."  
  
"What was in that can anyway mom?" asks the demi-saiya-jin boy.  
  
Looking at the offending bottle Bulma tells them that she doesn't know it isn't one of hers the intruder must have brought it with her.  
  
Smirking confidently "this may be just the clue we need to find that, that WOMAN," explodes Bulma still seething internally over how the woman broke into her home and did what she did.  
  
Peering about inside of the refrigerator once more Bulma mutters, "don't tell me, she took those?"  
  
"SHE DID!" she yells from inside bumping her head on a shelf in her anger "OUCH."  
  
"You okay mom?"  
  
"Yah, I'm okay," she says standing up more carefully rubbing her head "it just looks like she made off with a couple of experiments I had in here. Including one I was going to use for personal reasons."  
  
Gazing at the shelf in an off hand manner her eyes light on two vials, in excitement she squeals, "oh please let that be what I think it is?" Reaching in she grabs the two vials from where they had fallen in the back. Looking at the labels that are dangling from the glass, "lucky these didn't come completely off," she mutters.  
  
"Is that what I think it is Bulma?" Says Ranma in a questioning tone laced with anger. "You said you were going to destroy them when you finished you experiment."  
  
"Ummm," she says sheepishly, her shoulders hunched. Looking out of the corner of her eyes at him in a worried way, "yes, they are and I'm sorry I just kinda forgot."  
  
"But don't worry I have yours and Goku's sample," she says quickly. "She did make off with the others though. AAAnd," she says rummaging about in the fridge, "a collection of micro-bots I got from that space station we went to on the way to Namek."  
  
Frowning in thought Ranma asks to no one in particular, "who would want that?"  
  
"What was in those vials mom?" Gohan inquires innocently.  
  
Blushing the two adults stutter, trying not to tell the boy from embarrassment, till finally Bulma tells him not to worry about it.  
  
"That's beside the point," she smiles as she waves the vial in front of her eyes before she places it back in the fridge and shuts the door. Turning back to Gohan she says smiling "if things go as I plan, you may get a little brother or sister."  
  
"WWWWHHHHHAAAATTTTT?!?!?!" roar out Gohan and Ranma shaking the whole compound.  
  
***********************  
  
Three Months later:  
  
From a boat in the ocean the Black clad figure looks at a watch on her wrist, at he click of the minute hand she pulls the sleeve down and mutters "finally."  
  
With that she dives over board swimming for a nearby island thinking 'have just thirty minutes to get there do what I need to and get back.' Pushing herself to the limits she uses her powerful arms to pull herself for the shore 'Kame-House, at last the end is in sight.'  
  
***********************  
  
Meanwhile:  
  
Trudging thru the snow of the northern continent, the twelve-year-old Videl is bundled up heavily in a parka and assorted winter gear muttering to herself.  
  
"Took forever to track this guy down, almost as much time as it took to arrange my little trip away from my well meaning guardians," this last being hissed out in a sarcastic tone.  
  
"And this guy had ta be out here in the middle of the frozen tundra. If dad could go running off in shame, I'll go out and vindicate the family." She exclaims while trying to avoid slipping in the snow.  
  
Muttering while regaining her footing "The only guy who can teach me techniques like that son of a &^$@# Gohan is out in the middle of nowhere."  
  
Cresting a hill her eyes light on a winter wonderland, a sheltered valley with a frozen creek running thru it. And when she sees a man off to the side in a padded orange gi his form glowing with power and she knows she has found her man.  
  
"Finally," any further comments are cut off as she sees him shout out "ROGAFUDUKEN" (1) and launch forward with his hands in a claw like shape. When he hits a boulder in his path it explodes with a torrent of power.  
  
But when she whispers "awesome," he spins about and stares at the young girl on the ridge, shocked as to where she came from.  
  
Shaking off her wonder she stumbles down the slope and into the valley asking in a questioning tone "Yamcha-sensei?"  
  
At his questioning gaze she continues, "I have a deal I would like to make with you."  
  
***********************  
  
Back at Kame House:  
  
Her back to the wall under a window the intruder leans up and peers inside. Seeing the three inhabitants glued to the T.V. an aerobics show playing, she smiles 'right on time.' Sneaking around to the back the black clad woman enters the kitchen. Skulking to the doorway she peers around to spy the two men and the pig.  
  
Reaching into her pouch she removes a canister and a gas mask. Placing the mask on she opens the valve on the canister causing a barely audible hiss to sound. Counting silently to herself she nods when she reaches twenty. With that she strides into the room boldly, walking in front of the passed out men she pulls out two syringes. Once she checks for air bubbles she injects both master Roshi and Krillan.  
  
Waiting for a few seconds she checks the time 'seventeen minutes to go' she thinks 'just enough time.' Smiling beneath her hood she looks at the awake, yet unseeing duo and the still unconscious pig, "gentlemen, and I do use that term very loosely, I am . . . your mistress, and here are your orders."  
  
***********************  
  
Five minutes later:  
  
"When the time is right, you will follow my instructions to the letter, do you understand?"  
  
"Yes mistress," they drone out in unison without tone.  
  
"Now, you will forget I was here and go back to watching your show when you wake up. And when you next enter this state you will carry out my instructions, do you understand?"  
  
"Yes mistress."  
  
"Good," breaking a small capsule under Krillan and Roshi's noses causes them to pass out. Spying a mug of beer on the table by Roshi she smiles, "perfect, just as planned." Taking a tablet from a small bottle she plops it in the molecular reaction causing a cloud of smoke to rise slowly.  
  
Her job complete the woman in black makes sure she has left no evidence and runs out the front door. Diving into the surf she swims toward her boat just as the smoke from the beer mug dissipates and the fumes gradually awaken the trio. Krillan, Roshi and Olong wonder how they could have fallen asleep during the Yuka aerobics show, when the leg lifts of the instructor causes all rational thought to fall out of their heads.  
  
***********************  
  
To be continued in:  
  
Aftermath Finale  
  
Interlude Four: Leave-takings  
  
A Scene from Interlude Four:  
  
"So this is goodbye," smiles Ranma, tears in his eyes as he gives Gohan a hug.  
  
"Not Goodbye uncle, just" he trails off trying to think of the right words, "Just see you later." Smiling Gohan adds, "cause your gonna be back after you get everything settled, right?"  
  
Smiling back at the boy Ranma nods, "Yeah Gohan I'll be back as soon as I can."  
  
************************  
  
End Notes:  
  
(1) - ROGAFUDUKEN---also known as the wolf fang fist  
  
Thanks for all the reviews I appreciate it, and as to why Bulma and Ranma never hooked up, that is something I will deal with in Big Sister, (which I plan to work on a bit after I finish aftermath,) But lets just say they didn't get along at all in the early years.  
  
Also does everyone agree with the review that says Korin can make as many Senzu as needed? I was sure that the canon placed limits on the number he can make.  
  
Oh and ANon you raised some interesting points that are something I have planned to deal with from the start.  
  
Oh' and I never said that Ranma never got involved with someone while in the DBZ universe I just said he is uninvolved as of the Cell games. Never that he wasn't involved at any time in the last twenty years.  
  
Question:  
What are the limitations of Roshi's agelessness? I know he drank some potion, but it just stopped him from getting an older, it didn't make him immortal right?  
  
Oh and 50 Reviews broken, YYYYAAAAAHHHH, and 30,000 words. Thanks to everyone who read and reviewed my work.  
  
Signed: Verse12 


	13. Interlude Four : Leave Takings

************************  
  
Only Human  
  
By Verse12  
  
Verse12@hotmail.com  
  
**********************  
  
Disclaimer:  
  
I do not own these characters nor do I claim too, this is a simple fan based homage. Their creators and the companies they work for and with own the characters and all that pertains to them. (I.E. Rumiko Takahashi, Viz, Shougakukan, Pioneer LDC, Hiroki Hayashi, Ryoe Tsukimura, Akira Toriyama) This is just fans of the shows expressing their love for it for fun, no profit is involved or expected thank you.  
  
Note: Ranma's diction is still atrocious so the spelling of his dialogue will also stink.  
  
***********************  
  
Interlude Four  
  
Aftermath Part Seven  
  
Or  
  
Leave-Takings  
  
*************************  
  
"FAREWELL" rumbles Shen-lon as he disappears and the Dragon balls scatter across the planet.  
  
"I've seen some interesting wishes made before but those sure were different, what are you gonna do with those things anyway Ranma?" asks Krillan in confusion.  
  
Leaning over to pick up two pouches on the ground Ranma glances over at Krillan and smiles "oh just some souvenirs."  
  
"Souvenirs? What do you mean uncle?" Inquires Gohan as he strides across the barren terrain that they had all flown too to see Ranma and Ifurita off.  
  
"You should always bring a gift when you go on a trip. This though is part gift part payback," says Ranma with a semi-vicious smirk.  
  
At his fierce visage the assembled group step back in shock. Ranma laughs at their response, "Geez guys, that was hilarious, HAHAHAHA you shoulda seen yur faces, HAHAHAHA."  
  
"It wasn't that funny Ranma," replies Bulma embarrassedly as she adjusts her baby about in her arms as it squirms around in protest of something.  
  
"Thought for a second we were gonna have to deal with Kuruijini (1) again," exclaims master Roshi in his crotchety voice.  
  
At the sound of the name not spoken of in over ten years the group freezes in place. Almost as one they turn to look at Ranma who looks at the ground his face a mask of sadness. Only now realizing what he had said Roshi looks abashed and takes off his sunglasses "Son I'm sorry, I just didn't think."  
  
Looking up with a forced smile Ranma shakes his head "it's okay it was a long time ago, and the fact that you can just say it with out even thinking is actually good."  
  
From her position sitting on a boulder in an unnaturally still way Ifurita asks in confusion "Who or what is Kuruijini?"  
  
Looking uncomfortable, Ranma stammers "Well you know how I tol you how when I got here I had amnesia?"  
  
Puzzled expression on her face she replies with an affirmative.  
  
"Well when we finally got my memory back, things didn't go as planned. And I kind of . . . well . . . went a little . . . you know, nuts."  
  
Shocked the El-Hazardian android gasps out "You went insane?"  
  
Distracting the others by stepping over to Ifurita, Bulma walks to her while handing over the infant in her arms to Ranma. Kneeling down she begins to fiddle with a small metal box that has a cable running up to the albino like android's socket in her lower back, she begins speaking to her without looking her in the eye. "It was along time ago and it's not something we like to talk about lets just say it was not a good year, but in the end everything worked out . . . mostly."  
  
Frowning Ifurita takes a deep breath while closing her eyes she then looks over the assembled men, women and a Namekian and politely changes the subject. Looking down on Bulma she inquires of her "how is the trickle charger doing?" (2)  
  
The tension level noticeable drops as the uncomfortable subject is dropped. Looking up at Ifurita from her kneeling position at her feet Bulma smiles "I think you've gotten about as much of as a charge as you can for now," she says, unhooking the cable from the other woman's back. "How much power do you have now?"  
  
"Huum," she muses to her self, standing up from her charger-enforced stillness. "I think I have about 25% of full power."  
  
"Jeez, it took 9 months to just build up a quarter power?" asks Krillan in shock.  
  
"Not that it matters to you," answers Bulma in response "but, the only way I could get her systems to accept a charge not from the power key staff was to trick them into a maintenance cycle hence her not being able to move while hooked up. By applying the fifth interphasic principle to a nonlinear filter that's stuck in a sub-quantum state I'm able to have her systems take in a gradual charge in little drips of power."  
  
In the background you can hear a cricket chirp as the people, (minus Dr. Briefs who is nodding in understanding,) look on with a dazed look.  
  
Seeing the blank stares directed at her, Bulma mutters under her breath about morons before snorting out loud and simple telling them, "it takes a long time to charge her with out the staff? That simple enough?"  
  
"You don't gotta be rude Bulma," exclaims Ranma handing the infant over to her. "It's not our fault we aren't scientists."  
  
Bouncing the baby gently in her arms to quiet him she looks abashed and mutters she's sorry.  
  
"Anyway the question is, is 25% enough power to make the jump?" asks Ranma to Ifurita.  
  
Smiling Ifurita assures him that if she can send four people to El-Hazard on the dregs of a 10,000-year sleep she can handle this on a quarter charge. "It will be harder without the staff to help focus my powers though."  
  
**************************  
  
After some time,  
  
Walking over to his old Sensei and training buddy Ranma muses, "So I guess this is it huh?" he mutters to Krillan and Roshi.  
  
Smiling up at the black haired man, Krillan says, "I . . . you know . . . I'm gonna miss ya man."  
  
Clapping his hand on the smaller mans shoulder Ranma agrees with him saying that he would be back and he would miss him too.  
  
"I'm gonna miss you as well boy," exclaims Roshi while replacing his shades, "you three were the best students I ever had and I know the school will be in great hands with any of you."  
  
Getting a lecherous smirk on his face Roshi slyly asks Ranma, "uh, Ranma this being the last time we'll see each other for a long time do you think that maybe you might change and you know 'puff, puff'" he says while miming his hands in a cupping motion in front of his face. (3)  
  
His face dark with rage Ranma roars out "NNNNOOOO, YOU OLD PERVERT, JEEZ I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU WOULD EVEN ASK THAT."  
  
Turing away Ranma stalks off muttering about perverts and how all-old martial arts masters are alike.  
  
"I'll talk ta ya later Krillan," he calls back.  
  
Stomping away heading over to Gohan, Ranma passes by Piccolo who is standing of to the side, his arms crossed over his chest. As he passes, Ranma pauses next to the Namekian facing forward not looking at Piccolo he asks him.  
  
"Look after the kid for me, okay Piccolo."  
  
Grunting, the green man responds, "didn't even have ta ask."  
  
"Thanks," he replies before striding off with a tossed back comment of "See ya."  
  
Piccolo just responds with an affirmative grunt and a nod.  
  
Over near Goku's family stand Dr. and Mrs. Briefs, Ranma smiles as he comes up on them remembering some of the antics of the scatterbrained couple. "Well Dr. Briefs Mrs. Briefs, I guess this is goodbye."  
  
"Oh Ranma?" says the bubble headed blond seeming surprised to see him. "Are you going somewhere?"  
  
Smiling at the older, yet still beautiful, woman, Ranma reminds her that he is going home for a while.  
  
"Oh that's nice you take care now and make sure you eat properly okay?" she says with a sunny smile.  
  
A slight sweat drop on his back Ranma murmurs, "Uhhh, yah."  
  
Turning to the still distracted Dr. Briefs who is fiddling with a small electronic component the former resident of Nerima says to him.  
  
"Sir? I'm going to be heading off I just wanted to thank you for all of your help over the years."  
  
Looking up with a distracted air Dr. Briefs then seems to notice his whereabouts with an exclamation of "Oh Ranma? What's that, thanks? Don't mention it my boy, that reminds me I had something to give you."  
  
Rummaging through his lab coat the older man with the thick glasses and even thicker mustache mutters to himself about something before he pulls out a three hoi-poi capsules with an exclaimed "AAHAA."  
  
Smiling at the confused fighter he hands the capsules to him as he moves his glasses up on top of his head.  
  
"Um, sir, what are these?"  
  
"These are just a couple of things I've been working on for you thought you might like them, have a nice trip my good lad. Now? . . . have you seen my glasses?"  
  
Smiling fondly at the older man Ranma points to the man's head, "on top of your head sir."  
  
"Hum? Oh thank you my lad." He mutters already going back to working on some little doodad.  
  
Shaking his head at the two he just smiles and turns to the smiling Gohan and the mortified Bulma.  
  
"Those two can be so embarrassing," she mutters red faced.  
  
"Awe I think they're nice," says Ranma with a teasing smile.  
  
Frowning Bulma mutters, "don't start."  
  
"All right, alright" his smile diminishing, Ranma turns and kneels down in front of Gohan.  
  
"Are you sure you're okay with this?"  
  
Smiling back bravely the boy responds, "Yes go on we'll be fine you've things you need to do. I'm a big boy, mom's fine, yes I know having Trunks around will be tuff. But grandma and grandpa are here to. Everything is fine and we've been over this more times than I can remember," he says with a little exasperation.  
  
"I know, I know but I can't help it if I worry about you guys though."  
  
Bouncing chibi-Trunks (4) in her arms to quiet him Bulma tells Ranma comfortingly. "Gohan's right you're worrying to much. As much as we are grateful for everything you've done for us, you earned this chance to settle things back in your original world."  
  
Frowning with tears glistening in his eyes the boy looks on to his uncle. "I love you, and I just don't want be selfish like dad."  
  
Suddenly concerned for very deferent reasons the man questions the boy, "Gohan? You know your dad loves you, right? And just want the best for everybody?"  
  
Trying to wave off his former comments Gohan responds with a smile, "yah, yah I know I didn't mean it like that."  
  
Trying to look Gohan in the eye he asks, "you sure?"  
  
Laughing convincingly he says, "of course, of course, I don't know why I even said that."  
  
Still not convinced Ranma just nods and stands up telling them all "I'll be back when I can everyone, it might be a few years though you never know with the way time seems to be different."  
  
"Are you sure you have everything?" asks Bulma kind of worried, "Do you need more capsules?"  
  
Laughing at the comment "Are you kidding you gave me three boxes worth."  
  
Sheepish the blue haired scientist responds, "Well you may need them." Taking a deep breath the woman looks Ranma dead in the eye, Trunks having fallen asleep in her arms, "Ranma I know we haven't gotten along in the past but like I said before I don't think we could have gotten thru this past year with out you. And also I can't thank you enough for being there for Gohan, he really needed a strong male presence this last year and your help has been immeasurable," she says with some difficulty.  
  
Blushing the man fires back with a muttered "ah, it's no problem I think of you as family, ya know? I just hope you guys will be okay while I'm gone?"  
  
Tears threatening in her eyes she gives him a big, sisterly hug, resting her head on his shoulder. "It will be, you just take care you big lug."  
  
Hugging her back like a brother would, Ranma has a tear roll down his cheek as he tells her "you to, you to."  
  
************************  
  
A few minutes later off to the side Ranma raises his hand waving goodbye to the others standing about a hundred yards off, while adjusting the strap on his rucksack slung over his shoulder. As Ifurita raised her arm into the air the trickle charger being safely stored in a hoi-poi capsule in her pocket it begins to glow. Her arm starts to flux with power that grows and grows in strength washing over her and Ranma as she strains to find the pathway back to Makoto.  
  
"Everyone keep quiet," she yells out to the group, "this is very difficult I need my concentration and without the staff this is much more complicated."  
  
Nodding in understanding they watch the impending departure of loved ones.  
  
*************************  
  
While this is going on,  
  
In the distance, sitting on a ridge is the intruder still clad in black as she watches the group with complex set of surveillance equipment.  
  
"Right on schedule and just as planned," you can hear the smirk in her voice as she grasps a small metal tube with a button on top and an antenna on the bottom.  
  
Pushing the button she watches the assembled Z-Senshi in the distance and smirks "now for all my plans to reach fruition."  
  
**************************  
  
As an unheard signal travels across the distance not affecting anyone except master Roshi and Krillan. The signal enters their brains and causes a preset chemical reaction to occur returning them to a suggestive state once more.  
  
As one they look up at Ranma and without a word they charge up and blast towards him.  
  
Seeing the attacking duo, Ifurita and Ranma's eyes grow large and they scream out a confused "NO."  
  
A moment later an explosion of power rocks the area and after it and the glare it causes fades from the remaining group's eyes they look over and see that all four are now gone.  
  
"Oh no." mutters someone in the confused group.  
  
***************************  
  
In the distance the woman cackles while lying on her back, "finally my revenge is finished."  
  
With that statement the masked figure reaches up and remove the mask. And as it falls to the rocky terrain she reaches up to shake out her long black hair, smiling Chi-Chi looks down at her growing stomach "so little Goten (4) some day as you grow you will show them that me and Goku were meant to be. And if that tart is right and my Goku does come back some day he will see who gave him another son and who had one by Vegeta."  
  
"That stupid woman acts so smart but she didn't even check the DNA on the sample left behind just trusted that the label was right. HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!"  
  
"And now that %$&*!# Saotome is gone, along with all those who kept us apart, my Goku. Saying I'm crazy, that I tried to trick you into marrying me, you wanted to marry me Goku" she says while looking at the sky.  
  
"But now, now all these years of planning have paid off and I finally have my little piece of Goku."  
  
***************************  
  
This ends Aftermath,  
  
This originally was only going to be one chapter but it just kind of grew.  
  
This will be continued in the next saga: Ranma and Ifurita's Excellent Adventure.  
  
But as to where they end up I leave it up to all of you, I have a few ideas maybe Kimigure Orange Road, Dual or anything else.  
  
It would be cool if someone wanted them to travel thru your own Fanfic. If so E-mail me at Verse12@hotmail.com if you want to try it we can see. It doesn't have to be a physically challenging world; a mental or social challenge can be funnier.  
  
Also don't think that this is going to last long, I'm only planning three chapters for this with future side stories for any other worlds visited a future possibility, maybe one world a chapter.  
  
I want to get Ranma back to Nerima as soon as possible but this just kind of hit me and I had to do it. Anyway, I'm leaving the destinations open to you guys; the best ones will win please review.  
  
************************  
  
Footnotes:  
  
(1) - Kuruijini: death in madness, the name used by Ranma while he was evil and insane. This took place about halfway thru Dragon Ball.  
  
(2) - Trickle charger: a device invented by Bulma that gradually gives Ifurita some power. It is very slow though and while in use Ifurita is in a maintenance cycle so is unable to move her body just her head.  
  
(3) - I never said Ranma can't change into a woman anymore just that he didn't change when he stood in the river.  
  
(4) - Trunks: in case you are wondering about the fact that Bulma had him. NO she and Vegeta did not get together, she used the name because she liked it and to honor Mirai Trunks.  
  
She used a sample of Goku's she had from an experiment, but is Trunks actually Goku's son?  
  
Could he really be Vegeta's?  
  
The labels were, all messed up after all.  
  
Did Bulma forget to double-check the DNA as Chi-Chi suggested?  
  
We all know what Chi-Chi thinks, did she really get Goku's sample or did she mess up and Goten is actually Vegeta's son?  
  
Let me know what you think it should be.  
  
Oh, as to how Bulma got all the Z-senshi to give her samples it was for a plan to try to stop the Androids if they failed, sort of a fail safe in reserve that she never finished.  
  
**************************  
  
Answers to Review questions:  
  
I don't plan on just forgetting the other characters flaws instantly, and I certainly don't, plan on forgetting Ranma's flaws, as many seem to do. Ranma is, much more powerful, but he is not any smarter about most things just more mature about life and dealing with some people, others will still make him nuts, he has also had almost no school learning since he left. He can still make mistakes and he will make a number of them.  
  
Videl has escaped her caretakers while looking for someone to teach her how to fight like the Z-Senshi and to get her revenge against Gohan. But will Yamcha try to help her, maybe to try to divert some of her rage into a more constructive path.  
  
Also no, the cannon Perfect Cell is much stronger than Ranma. Ranma is just very tricky. Ranma's power level is higher than Krillan's and yet lower than Piccolo's at this time. If Cell had taken Ranma seriously at first it would have been over quickly, but Cell was arrogant and thought he was too powerful to be hurt by Ranma.  
  
Remember this, and think on it, Arrogance like this can flow both ways.  
  
Anyway thanks for everything Please Review.  
  
Signed: Verse12 


	14. Chapter 9 : Journey's End

The nightmare of the inter-dimensional transit surrounds Ranma Saotome as he and Ifurita finally head for Nerima. But something went wrong Krillan as he used to be and Roshi attacked them the added mass and energy throwing off delicate balances inadequately controlled by an injured Ifurita. Fighting to maintain consciousness in the stream of energy he realizes something is wrong as he sees Ifurita scream in pain as raw power sparks and flies from her.  
  
(FLASH)  
  
A verdant jungle fills the view craggy mountains fill the back ground, standing back to back Ranma and Krillan fire off round after round of machine gun blasts. Ranma wearing a camouflage outfit his face streaming with sweat swears as he sees more ground troops flood from the jungle into the clearing they find themselves in. Looking over his shoulder at his friend Krillan noticing he looks like he does now after the Emerald Eye got done with him with the close-cropped hair and . . . nose. Then with a thunderous roar trees fall to the ground with a crash as three Zaku's thunder toward them their large guns pointing their way.  
  
(FLASH)  
  
Everything is shaded green, the Legion controlled by the Emerald Eye reek havoc on the Earth. Vi now the Emerald Empress seeks to remake all, including all of them. Unable to do anything Ranma watches himself and the others forced to all manner of evil. Until Imra a.k.a. Saturn Girl shows up, chaos and explosions erupt, then.  
  
(FLASH)  
  
A Flattened and blackened Tendo Dojo taped police outlines of bodies all over.  
  
(FLASH)  
  
Young Mayday Parker still clad in her ripped and burnt Spider-girl costume screaming in pain and terror as the vortex pulls her from her world and into the dark reflection of it Ranma and the others had just left.  
  
(FLASH)  
  
Priss running away from him tears streaming from her eyes her heart broken as she flees into the Mega-Tokyo night.  
  
(FLASH)  
  
Nuclear mushrooms sprouting their rain of fiery death fill the Earth. Blazing radiation sweep across the planet as a metallic skull grins thru it all its red eyes glaring with an evil light.  
  
************************  
  
Only Human  
  
By Verse12  
  
Verse12@hotmail.com  
  
**********************  
  
Disclaimer:  
  
I do not own these characters nor do I claim too, this is a simple fan based homage. Their creators and the companies they work for and with own the characters and all that pertains to them. (I.E. Rumiko Takahashi, Viz, Shougakukan, Pioneer LDC, Hiroki Hayashi, Ryoe Tsukimura, Akira Toriyama, Marvel Comics, DC Comics, Artmic, Youmex, Bandai, C2) This is just fans of the shows expressing their love for it for fun, no profit is involved or expected thank you.  
  
***********************  
  
Chapter 9  
  
Ranma & Ifurita's Excellent Adventure Special  
  
Or  
  
Journey's End  
  
*************************  
  
"AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!!"  
  
Ranma screams the sound filling the little room where he had dozed off. Sweat pouring from his face he sits up his breath coming in shuddering gasps. Looking about Ranma tries to realize where he is. Remembrance comes to him in a flash, leaving Amaro and the others of White Base and arriving in a world very similar to the one they had left from only without his influence and sixteen years in the future.  
  
He had dozed off in the waiting room for the Budokai in which he and the much changed Krillan had decided to compete. Frowning at the Vegeta's of this world's laughter coming from where he and the other Z-senshi wait on the other side of the room. Ranma takes a deep breath and tries to ignore the derisive chuckling as he sees Krillan approaching him with a worried look on his face.  
  
Coming over to his friend Krillan kneels down next to him asking, "you okay?"  
  
Looking over to his old friend Ranma can't believe how much he has changed in the last two and half years that they have been traipsing thru the multi- verse. The biggest change being the military style hair cut and well, the nose he got cause of that bloody Emerald Eye. With a sigh Ranma nods to his friend, "yeah I'm cool, it's just a nightmare of some of the worst memories of our little trip."  
  
With a sigh of his own Krillan nods himself before sitting down next to his buddy, "I know what you mean I've things that keep me up at night to. Especially . . . especially that year onboard White Base."  
  
Closing his eyes Ranma leans his head back onto the wall before sighing, "I know what you mean even after all we went thru back home. That year with Amaro and the others . . . that was something different."  
  
Looking over at his friend Krillan barks a quick melancholy laugh "lets be honest Ranma it was war pure and simple. And just because we didn't have any memories thanks to that $%#$@ Eye thing we still were responsible for all the things we did."  
  
Looking into the haunted eyes of his friend Ranma shakes his head, "No, man we did what we had to do to help our friends, I mean if we had access to our training who knows what we would be able to do. But we can't live in the past, you know?"  
  
Snorting in self-mockery Krillan responds, "I thought I was the one who was supposed to be cheering you up?"  
  
Smiling slightly Ranma slaps his shorter friend on the back "as much as I appreciate it I think it's okay if we help each other, you know?"  
  
Nodding the former monk smiles back, "I know I've had my fare share of bad dreams to."  
  
Looking off into space Ranma remembers his most recent nightmare and nods his understanding.  
  
"Hey lets not get so down, okay?" Krillan asks trying to cheer up his friend as he sees him falling into depression. "We've had some good times to right?"  
  
Smiling Ranma adds, "yeah and we've made a difference in the lives of a lot of people."  
  
"And we made a lot of friends, that's important to," Krillan comments.  
  
Nodding Ranma remarks, "that's true Jack and the guys in Sg-1, the Kasuga's, Manju and Rin, the Legion." Then face falling slightly he continues, "Priss and the others, John Conner . . . the Parkers . . ."  
  
"Ranma you can't blame yourself, heck even the Parkers don't blame us. They know we did our best and as far as May goes Fury will look out for her until Ifurita gets back to Makoto so he can straighten out her messed up programming."  
  
Nodding his head Ranma replies, "yeah we made a difference and your right that we left things better than they would've been on most worlds. But we did leave some places worse off than they would have been."  
  
"But," Ranma continues cutting off Krillan's reply, "I've learned that regrets and bad feelings don't solve anything." Smiling at his friend "though I'm still gonna have some fun when we transit out of here and I finally get back to Nerima. I think I'm entitled to that, the question is are you still up for it?"  
  
Chuckling at the thought of the plans Ranma had shared with him for when they finally get back to his old home. And in the last couple of years those plans had grown to include him and Muten Roshi, so thinking on these plans the former monk responds, "Yeah I'm still in. But don't forget that there is still a serious side to why you're doing this."  
  
Shaking his head Ranma comes back with "I wont, it's time to start anew, we've had to many dark days and from now on I'm going to try to look on the bright side." Turning to look at his friend the former pigtailed youth asks, "you with me?"  
  
Thinking for a second his eyes filled with hidden pain Krillin closes his eyes and with noticeable effort pushes it aside so when he looks at his friend again it is with more animation than in a long time. "Yeah I think your right it's time to get on with life I think the both of us have let the war clog our minds for to long it's time to be true to ourselves again. So yeah I'm with you."  
  
Barking a quick laugh Ranma grabs his friend in a quick manly hug and with a hearty pat on the back lets go. Still smiling Ranma jerks his head at the Z-senshi, "lets get on to more serious stuff okay, like how to beat these guys."  
  
Glancing over at the familiar faces Krillan nods with a smile, "in a straight up fight they'd clean our clocks, but in a match like this where all we need to do is get them out of the ring. Well I think we may be able to do something in a situation like that if we can keep them underestimating us."  
  
Nodding with a sly smile Ranma motions his compatriot closer as they begin to plan their strategy.  
  
*************************  
  
Across the room the Z-senshi stand around some more patient than others.  
  
"So Kakarot where is this human that can match us in terms of strength anyway. I don't see anyone here that would ever be any threat to my power." All this Vegeta exclaims boisterously only then realizing that Goku didn't seem to have been listening.  
  
Annoyed doesn't even begin to cover his thought at being disregarded, "OY Kakarot, don't ignore me."  
  
Starting Goku looks up sheepishly "sorry Vegeta I was just distracted."  
  
Snorting Vegeta looks around at the gathered fighters and besides the two of them the boys and Gohan's brat no one has any kind of power.  
  
"I think it's the short guy over there," comments Goten jerking his thumb in the direction of the short man sitting on the floor by the guy that had been screaming a minute ago.  
  
Looking over at the man, Trunks squints his eyes before shaking his head, "Nah I don't think so. I mean he's more powerful than the others her but he isn't even that strong, heck Yamcha's stronger than him."  
  
"No that's not him, but that's what has me worried he's hiding his strength," Goku confides to the others.  
  
Snorting Vegeta says, "so what, he's still a weak human."  
  
Nodding Goku agrees, "yeah he's not as strong as us but he's the strongest human I've ever seen. He's stronger than Krillan or any of them when they were younger. I'm just thinking where has this guy come from and how come we've never felt him before. And how did he get so good at disguising his power."  
  
"What's wrong grandpa?" Chirps a sweet little voice from Goku's feet.  
  
Smiling at the little fighter Goku picks up his granddaughter and sets her on his shoulder, "nothing for you to worry about Pan-chan."  
  
Turning to look at the other fighters Goku's face turns serious, "I'm just thinking that this could be the start of something big."  
  
Frowning the others look over at the fighter in varying degrees of interest and disinterest.  
  
"Anyway the first match is any minute," comments Goku. Looking at Pan-chan he asks her, "you're up first, you ready?"  
  
Nodding cutely she chirps "uhn, I'm gonna win grandpa."  
  
Snorting Vegeta chimes in "She's fighting that cry baby over there with shorty so even she shouldn't have any problems."  
  
Any further comments though are cut off as the Announcer calls out the first fighters.  
  
*************************  
  
The aging announcer steps into the ring his blond hair still full but wrinkles peak out from behind his dark sunglasses. Fixing the tie on his black suit he brings the microphone to his lips while turn around to gaze at the stands full of cheering spectators.  
  
"LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, WE HAVE AN UNBELIVEABLE TOURNAMENT FOR YOU TODAY. WE HAVE TWO CHAMPIONS OF THIS TOURNAMENT HERE TODAY, THE CURRENT CHAMPION HERCULE WHO WILL FIGHT ONLY IN THE FINALS, BUT ALSO FORMER CHAMPION SON- GOKU."  
  
"BUT FIRST THE GRANDDAUGHTER OF BOTH OF THESE CHAMPIONS, THE TINY TITAN SSSOOOONNNN-PPPPAAANNNN!"  
  
At the announcers roaring introduction and with the crowd screaming adulation four year old Pan-chan leaps and skips into the ring with boundless energy. Throwing her little fists into the air she turns about basking in the crowds cheering. "YEAH!" she yells with a little jump and a grin.  
  
"AND HER OPPONENT, A NEW COMER TO THE TOURNAMENT, RRRAAANNNNMMMMAAAAA SSSSAAAAOOOOTTTTTOOOOMMMMEEEEE!"  
  
With that the announcer points at the fighters entrance where the former Neriman slowly and methodically walks to the ring, ignoring the boos of the crowd for daring to fight Pan-chan. While walking his mind wanders to the differences in this world compared to his.  
  
'I'm glad Ifurita was so understanding of why I wanted to enter this tournament I need to see them up close even if they aren't my loved ones. I had to see them and after feeling their strength I sure had to test myself against them.'  
  
'This Goku, he looks and acts so much like my Goku but he seems a little more absent minded. And if what I gather is true of this world after Gohan died he had no one till Bulma showed up that explains a lot. He's SO strong though it's almost scary even to me. BUT it seems that someone has never taught them the lesson that strength isn't everything.'  
  
'Vegeta seems so much calmer than the one I knew, almost nice. Well not that, he's still a little jerk. But seeing how Bulma has mellowed him out over the years shows me some things I never understood. Of course if I hadn't gotten over my hatred of the prince a few worlds back I would never have allowed myself to see this about him. Kicking his younger self's butt on that other world helped a lot.'  
  
'This Goten and Trunks I don't know. I have no idea about them they don't even exist in my world. Well Trunks does but he's only a little guy and he's Goku's son. This one,' he thinks looking over at the purple haired teenage Sayia-jin, 'is Vegeta's son, like future trunks was.'  
  
'But this Pan-chan is the cutest little thing I've ever seen, I'm not so sure she should be in the Budokai like this at age four but I guess she's strong enough. One thing's for sure I need to find out who her mom is and try a little meddling for my Gohan when I get home.'  
  
After climbing into the ring and walking to the center the announcer walks up to the fighters and repeats the rules to them, "win by knockout, falling out of the ring, or submission and if you kill your opponent you forfeit. Understand?"  
  
At the nods of the two fighters he walks away and down the stairs once off the ring he calls out, "BEGIN!"  
  
Hopping back and into a ready stance Pan-chan looks at Ranma warily as he simply stands there looking nonchalant. Then nice as can be Ranma calls out to the little girl he is supposed to fight, "hi I'm Ranma. Your name is Pan?"  
  
At his polite question Pan-chan looks at him confused for a second before relaxing slightly, "uhm? Yes?" Then in a more certain and less confused tone she answers, "yes I am."  
  
"Well it's nice to meet you Pan-chan," he says with a little bow. "You're the granddaughter of two champions?"  
  
"Uhn," she nods in confirmation still confused by this guy wanting to talk and be nice than fight. "My grandpa Goku is real strong and my grandpa Hercule is the one who beat Cell, though it was really my daddy that did that," she says with a proud little tone that only a little girl talking about her daddy can do.  
  
Then in an instant she realizes what she said and in a scared look she utters, "uh oh, I wasn't supposed to tell that to anyone."  
  
Smiling indulgently the man nods, "that's okay it can be our secret okay."  
  
Relief plain on her face, the girl nods with a smile "thanks mister."  
  
"Where is your mother and father anyway?" Asks the man  
  
At her pointing at the box seats over the fighters waiting area Ranma looks up there. Spying the assembled family and friends of the Z-senshi as well as the ones who have seemingly have been forced out for being human and not able to keep up. Seeing the adult Gohan so different from the one he has known causes Ranma a little regret at not being with his Gohan. Looking at Gohan's obvious wife Ranma grins in a sly fashion as he asks Pan-chan for her moms name only to bark a quick laugh at her answer of "mommy."  
  
"No dear what does everyone else call her?" he asks with a smile.  
  
"Oh, uhm . . . oh yeah, Videl!" she exclaims happily the fight forgotten in her youthful exuberance.  
  
"Videl huh?" Ranma mutters a meddling look on his face.  
  
And for a second or two Ranma thinks about these people that though very familiar are also very different.  
  
'Gohan, this one is so different than the one of my world, but I guess considering Chi-Chi's his mom it's understandable. He also totally given up on fighting it seems, it's like he has no fire. This man just seems like a pale reflection of the boy I know."  
  
'The others seem so old and tired, it's like they just gave up and let the Sayia-jin's take care of things.' Shaking his head he brings his attention back to the ring hearing the screams and boos of the fans looking for a fight as well as the comments over how they can understand how someone could be off put by having to fight a little kid.  
  
Smiling at the confused girl Ranma asks her, "hey I think we should get started ya know?"  
  
Looking up at the nice man Pan-chan nods her head "uhn, but don't think I'm gonna go easy on you, okay? I'm a lot stronger than I look you know?"  
  
Nodding with a smile the man replies "I understand just try your hardest okay?"  
  
With a smile and a giggle she hops back into a fighting stance while he does the same. And with a hop from foot to foot she dashes forward trying to quickly get inside his guard with her short reach.  
  
While in the box seats the assembled friends and family of the little girl look on with pride believing she will finish off this guy shortly. All except Piccolo and Master Roshi who watch the man across from Pan-chan, his power is nothing more than any average human's. But what isn't average is the way he moves, his stance and walk, that combined with his surprising lack of power even though he's obviously skilled, makes both of them concerned that this may be a very bad thing. Because if anything happens to Pan-chan it's not Gohan that they are worried about its Videl and Chi- chi, "Burrr" they shiver quietly at the thought.  
  
But back to the match, as Pan-chan comes in expecting a hit and a quick end to the match she is surprised though when Ranma simply leans out of the way. Her follow up is also dodged and the one after that as well.  
  
For several minutes this goes on Ranma simply using his advanced skill to avoid her attacks, (A.N. think like the first ep of Ranma and the fight with Akane, but more intense.) and all the while he comments on her style criticizing her and helping tighten up her defense.  
  
"You sure are strong Pan-chan, I hope you understand that I have to do all I can to win though." And with that Ranma leans around one of her blows and taps a spot on the side of her neck and instantly she crumples to the ground asleep.  
  
And after a moment the crowd erupts in a roar of hate at Ranma daring to beat the favorite Pan-chan. But this is nothing compared to the screams that come from the box seats the only question is who is louder Videl, Chi- chi or Hercule. And Gohan's quiet stare of pain is not to be discounted either.  
  
Ignoring the screams and death threats Ranma leans over and picks up the sleeping girl not even paying attention to Videl and Chi-chi as they lean out the window seeking to jump down and get at him. Only being stopped by Gohan holding them about the waist as they struggle to escape.  
  
Walking over to a waiting Goku Ranma hops down from the ring and passes the little girl off to her Granpa. And with a muttered "I just hit her sleep pressure point, she'll be awake in a few minutes" Ranma walks back into the waiting room.  
  
*************************  
  
The match between Captain Chicken and Kiraano begins soon after and all of the real fighters ignore this yawn fest. Goku puts Pan-chan down on a blanket and gives Ranma an odd look not paying attention to Goten's questions about Pan-chan.  
  
Ranma goes over to Krillan and reminds him to go according to their plan, for him to go all out but be tricky use misdirection tactics. Hearing a cheer Ranma looks up seeing Kiraano has won he looks over at Krillan as he confidently strides to the door nodding to his opponent Goten.  
  
Then with a smirk he calls back to Ranma "it's been a year since I've had a chance to cut loose," then glancing over at the curious Goten he continues, "This'll be fun."  
  
And with that the man know to us as Krillan strolls out to the ring letting a little of his power show.  
  
Confused Goten looks to his father for advice only to see him looking at Ranma his gaze intense and wondering. So shaking his head Goten walks to the ring for his fight.  
  
*************************  
  
To be continued in:  
  
Chapter 10 of Only Human  
  
Or  
  
Things heat up  
  
A scene from Chapter 10:  
  
Hopping to catch Goten off Balance Krillan blurs forward and imbeds a fist in his gut following up with a spin kick to the head that sends him into the air where Krillan follows after.  
  
A dual overhand blow sends Goten crashing into the ground in an explosion of concrete.  
  
*************************  
  
Endnotes:  
  
Well I'm sorry it's been so long but a number of things have kept me from this. But most of all has been I've just not felt like writing. So I'm just sorry. Not to say I haven't been working on stuff, I have, I've been doing a lot of plotting and planning.  
  
Also a note of explanation, this takes place in the final eps of DBZ. The only change from canon is that the order of fights and a slight change in the structure of the tournament has occurred.  
  
A lot of planning went into how I was going to do this, at first I was going to do 3 chapters from different points in the journey. Then as I was planning where they would go I thought hey this is good lets ad another 9 chapters and just do the whole trip home. Then I realized that it would probably be like 20 extra chapters and I didn't want to wait a couple of years to get them home.  
  
So then the plan became do a short interlude with Ranma in the last place on the trip before they got home having an introspective moment. But after 4 pages that fell apart and thus the current 3-chapter story arc telling this whole tournament and dealing in flash backs with some of the events that have occurred in the trip.  
  
But please let me know what you think, I appreciate any comments, thank you.  
  
Oh I need Pre-readers if you would like to be one please Email at Verse12@hotmail.com, also make sure to make the subject about pre-readers.  
  
Signed: Verse12 


	15. Chapter 10 : Things heat up

"HOW DARE HE HURT MY BABY!!!!!" Roared Videl as she looked down on the stage and struggled while being held back by a more in control Gohan. Even though he wanted to go beat up the man who hurt his daughter too.  
  
"THAT SON OF A %$#^*!!!" echoed Chichi as she thrashed about like a wildcat in Gohan's other arm.  
  
What has had them so upset was the defeat of Pan-chan by the new comer Ranma. The gathered people, Gohan, Videl, Chi-chi, Krillan and his family, Yamcha, Puar, Roshi, Oolong, Piccolo and Bulma as well as her daughter Bra were in a luxury suite watching the tournament.  
  
They were so distracted by Videl and Chi-chi that the match between Captain Chicken and Kiraano went completely unnoticed. But when Kilroy (an alias adopted by the Krillan from Ranma's DBZ universe) and Goten stepped into the ring something caused the local Krillan to look out at the ring. He frowned as he tried to get a sense on the unknown fighter; all he knew was that he was very familiar for some reason and he couldn't tell how.  
  
In an absentminded way Krillan leaned over to Piccolo and asked him, "That Kilroy guy looks familiar, doesn't he? Do you think he could be the one Goku was talking about?"  
  
The Nameken warrior frowned and concentrated on the fighters just taking up their beginning stances, "I don't know, it could be, something is familiar about him that's for sure," he said in his typical grumbling voice.  
  
And as he said this Kilroy's power shot up, rocketing higher and higher until it reached the level that Vegeta had on Namek. Everyone who could sense it was in shocked that a human could be that strong, especially one they didn't know.  
  
This distraction proved costly as it allowed Videl and Chi-chi to wiggle free of Gohan's grasp and run off toward the fighter's waiting room for their retribution.  
  
"Crap," Gohan muttered and ran after the two women, "I better go with them, keep an eye on Goten everyone."  
  
************************  
  
Only Human  
  
By Verse12  
  
Verse12@hotmail.com  
  
**********************  
  
Disclaimer:  
  
I do not own these characters nor do I claim too, this is a simple fan based homage. Their creators and the companies they work for and with own the characters and all that pertains to them. (I.E. Rumiko Takahashi, Viz, Shougakukan, Pioneer LDC, Hiroki Hayashi, Ryoe Tsukimura, Akira Toriyama) This is just fans of the shows expressing their love for it for fun, no profit is involved or expected thank you.  
  
***********************  
  
Chapter 10  
  
Ranma & Ifurita's Excellent Adventure Special  
  
Or  
  
Things Heat Up  
  
*************************  
  
Flashback to when Goten and Krillan entered the ring  
  
An over confident Goten sauntered onto the ring believing his victory was assured.  
  
The only words exchanged were an vague comment by Kilroy (Krillan), "you should take me seriously; I have a lot of experience fighting stronger opponents. Fighting a Daxamite (1) regularly can help in these kinds of situations, ya know?" he said with a smirk. With that he powered up quickly and blurred from view. Goten was taken off guard and winced as he felt a fist imbedded in his gut.  
  
A quick spin kick by the shorter man to Goten's head sent him flying across the ring and just as he started to get up a reverse axe kick to the chin sent him soaring into the air.  
  
Kilroy blurred once more to appear over Goten high in the sky and deliver a dual over-hand blow to Goten's back, sending him down into the ground resulting in an explosion of concrete and mortar.  
  
Floating back down slowly, Kilroy smirked as dust filled the air and he waited for Goten to emerge.  
  
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Up in the viewing gallery the watchers stand stupefied, the older noseless Krillan was the only one to speak muttering "How, how, how" in his shock.  
  
Piccolo grunted, "It isn't over, look" and nodded to the clearing dust cloud, as a figure began to stir.  
  
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"AAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!"  
  
Goten yelled as he powered up to just under super sayian, the waves of power blowing the floating debris from his crash away. Goten blurred and attacked Kilroy, who bent and twisted, dodging the hammer blows the younger man was so intent on delivering.  
  
The heretofore-unseen style was an acrobatic display unlike any fighting style Goten had ever fought against. (2) The style seemed to blend numerous different styles giving even a weaker opponent counters and maneuvers to avoid Goten's attacks.  
  
And after several minutes of this Goten was getting very tired, his endurance not being up to snuff after years of not doing anything more strenuous than trying to get a date for Saturday night.  
  
Goten decided to power up once more, annoyed at his adversary dancing around the attacks. He speed up and gave the shorter man a glancing blow that sent him flying. Kilroy recovered quickly though, just in time to avoid a follow up kick to the ribs.  
  
While the teen was off balance Kilroy countered the hit with a judo toss over to the other side of the ring, he quickly followed it with a small Ki blast that hit his opponent in the back, scorching his gi.  
  
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Meanwhile in the waiting room, Ranma was leaning against the doorway watching the fight with a blank expression. While the Z-senshi (all but Vegeta that is because he just didn't care) couldn't believe how badly Goten was doing.  
  
Then with a smile Ranma muttered, "He's got him."  
  
Trunks heard this and asked, "What do you mean? Goten wasn't really hurt by that."  
  
"Watch your friend . . . look at him. He hasn't trained seriously in while has he?" Ranma pointed out, and then he nodded at Goten, "look closely at him."  
  
Trunks turned around and looked at his friend, trying to see what was being pointed out to him. They watched Goten and the native fighters wondered what Ranma was saying. Studying the teen fighter, Goku is the first one to see it as his son tries to hit the shorter man; Goku frowned as he saw how tired Goten was. Then with a frown Goku looked at Ranma, "Even as tired as he is that still won't be enough to take him out."  
  
Smirking Ranma replied, "Watch, Kilroy isn't finished yet either."  
  
*************************  
  
After several minutes of Kilroy dodging, Goten had to stop to catch his breath. Panting, he stood there and eyed Kilroy with confusion. Kilroy smirked, relaxed slightly and inquired of the fatigued young man, "finished?"  
  
At Goten's angry growl and his motion to charge once more, Kilroy held up his hand and in a sing-song way called out, "Na-uh, my turn."  
  
Then with a wide legged stance and with his hands held out at his side, two glowing disks appeared vertically in each hand. Each one was about 3 feet across and with a growl Kilroy flung his hands forward. The disks blazed forward, cutting a furrow in the concrete of the ring.  
  
With a curse Goten jumped back to dodge but the two disks tracked him, following closely as he franticly jumped about. Meanwhile Kilroy jumped in and out, landing blows on Goten as he tried to dodge the energy disks.  
  
Finally pissed off, Goten hunched down gathering strength and let a couple of blows land before he let loose with a roar of power that filled the air. The powerful wave of energy threw the shorter man back across the ring and dissipated the energy disks.  
  
When Kilroy looked over at the teen, he saw that his younger opponent had gone super sayia-jin. He stood there, power billowing about him, but even though he was super now, he was also panting and obviously tired.  
  
Not giving him a chance to attack, the short man let loose another pair of buzz saw blades that twisted and turned on a dime, responding to Kilroy's will as they kept Goten off balance and away from the human fighter.  
  
But now in super form Goten easily avoided the large blades before blowing them away. With a smirk on his face Kilroy nodded, "Pretty good, but not good enough. You see, as the fight has gone on, you've worn yourself out. If you'd gone super at the start, you might have ended it quickly. But 'cause you waited 'til you were already exhausted that carried over."  
  
Then, as understanding came to Goten, Kilroy nodded, "That's right you're no stronger now than you were at the start of the fight. You have noooo endurance kid."  
  
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"Brilliant!" muttered Piccolo in shock. Then with a shake of his head he continued, "But unless this Kilroy has something more, he will still lose."  
  
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Regaining a measure of self-confidence Goten laughed, "You're smart, I'll give ya that," then he smirked, "but you still don't have a chance," he said and dashed forward unleashing a brutal attack on his shorter opponent.  
  
The attack sent Kilroy sliding across the ring but he ignored Goten's gloating and stood up saying, "You should have pressed your chance when you had it, but you had to get cocky kid."  
  
Before Goten could attack again Kilroy let loose with his energy disk attack again. As Goten got ready to destroy them, Kilroy clenched his fists and yelled. When he unclenched his fists the disks split into several dozen silver-dollar-sized disks.  
  
The tiny disks moved at a much faster pace than their larger counter parts as they zipped about, in and out too fast to easily destroy. Gradually they began to wear down the younger man, cutting little gashes in him as Kilroy used a hit and run strategy as he directed the blades mentally.  
  
Then, as a coup de grace, Kilroy formed two more large disks that he had circle the area hemming Goten in as they cut big gashes in the concrete.  
  
Hurt and angry Goten let loose another wide blast of power with a yell in a desperate attempt to get the stinging blades off his back.  
  
"AAAAAAARRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!"  
  
Goten panted as he stood there and tried to get his breath back under control. He winced and tried to ignore the many small gashes that left him bleeding from head to toe, his gi shredded beyond recognition. The numerous wounds by themselves were not serious, but taken as a whole and combined with the low state of his strength, left him staggering and weak.  
  
At that moment, when he was the most vulnerable, was when his human opponent struck. Kilroy roared, swinging his arms in a wide cutting motion, causing the large blades that had stayed out of range, waiting for the signal to strike to move into action.  
  
With a whistling shriek, one of them dove straight at the concrete at Goten's feet using a sharp horizontal angle to slice the corner he was standing on, causing it to buckle under his feet.  
  
The surface crumbling under his feet caused him to stagger and, before Goten could jump clear the second disk came spinning straight at him, forcing him to jump backwards toward the ground.  
  
The exhausted young Sayia-jin, totally off balance, fell back in a desperate attempt to avoid getting cut in half. Flinging his hands over his eyes in a futile effort to stave off the inevitable, he didn't even realize it when he ended up lying on the grass. That is, until he realized that he was still in one piece, more or less. With a peek through his fingers he blanched when he saw the second disk floating an inch from his face. Kilroy floated above and behind the blade smirking as, in the background, the announcer timidly yelled out that Kilroy was the winner.  
  
"GOTEN!" the gathered friends and fighters called out as the Z-senshi rushed to the defeated teen.  
  
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At the same time Videl and Chi-Chi burst into the waiting area, having been held up by Gohan's efforts and having to knock out the man guarding the waiting room when he wouldn't let them in.  
  
"WHERE IS HE!!!!?" roared the two women in unison, literally dragging Gohan behind them. Spying Ranma over by the door the two women stalked up to him intent on giving him a piece of their mind. That is, until Chi-Chi saw Goten being brought in by Goku.  
  
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! MY BABY!!!!!" roared the distraught woman as she dashed to the cut and bleeding teen.  
  
"He's okay, it looks worse than it is, he just needs to rest and have all these little cuts cleaned," Goku said hurriedly, trying to calm her down. It worked . . . for a moment. Then with fire in her eyes, literally it seemed, she turned on the other fighters and growled gutturally, "WHO DID THIS!?"  
  
As one everyone stepped away from her, except Videl who was still berating Ranma poking him in the chest with her finger.  
  
In reply to her question they all pointed at Kilroy as he walked inside. "YOU," she stated with malice before pulling her frying pan out from nowhere.  
  
"Uhm?" asked Kilroy, confused since he missed her entrance. Nervous, he stepped away from her as she stalked forward.  
  
"AAAAAHHHH!!!" Chi-chi screamed as she ran for him making him freak out and run for it. And so, the gathered fans were treated to an unusual sight - that of the victor of the most recent round being chased around the ring by a woman with a frying pan.  
  
While this was going on, Videl finished her tirade and had gone over to dote on the still sleeping Pan-chan. Ranma was not going to let this go unanswered though and fired back to her, "If she isn't ready for the Budokai then she shouldn't be allowed to compete. You're lucky I'm such a nice a guy and only made her fall asleep. What if someone really bad had been in the tournament?"  
  
A glare from the woman was her only reply as she and Gohan looked after their daughter.  
  
After making sure that his daughter was fine, Gohan went to check on his little brother. He tried to ignore Vegeta laughing heartily at, as he put it, "Brat number two loosing to such a weak human."  
  
An eerie quiet developed as the ring was being fixed when the various Z- senshi had tried to get Kilroy to talk, after he got back from being chased by Chi-Chi, and he wouldn't say anything to them.  
  
Once the ring was fixed Mr. Buu's turn was up, though the Z-senshi knew that Buu would beat the big man named Kiuhatsuko Ranma wanted to see the big . . . pink . . . thing fight. With a frown he watched the so-called fight as his Krillan came up to him to see as well. Mr. Buu won with hardly any effort and returned to the waiting room to eat the cakes he had waiting.  
  
With a thoughtful frown Ranma watched Mr. Buu as Vegeta had his match with the pretty boy he had to fight. Though "fight" would be too strong a word "severe beating" would be a better way to put it. Seeing this, Trunks's opponent Otokosuki ran away, though Ranma's next opponent Kiraano decided to stick it out for another round because Ranma didn't look like a strong adversary.  
  
With no one to face him, Trunks won his match by default so Goku finally had his match against Uub. When Goku went to the ring Vegeta frowned as he could tell that the other Saiya-jin was excited about this, and he couldn't understand the reason for that.  
  
'This kid isn't anything special, what's going on?' his friends wondered since everyone thought that Kilroy guy was the one that Goku was waiting for.  
  
Ranma eavesdropped on them as they discussed Goku's claim of a human as strong as a saiya-jin and, no matter what the reason for it, it made a big grin light up his face.  
  
*************************  
  
The match between Goku and Uub went generally as in the series; Goku provoked Uub into getting angry so that he would fight better. Uub's power grew and grew as he matched Goku blow for blow, and until Goku flew into the air he was keeping up with him.  
  
That's when Goku offered to train him and apologized for saying bad things to him. Goku flew up to the seats to say goodbye to his friends and family, just like in the series and he still hadn't landed.  
  
In fact there was nothing much that was very different, that is up until Goku went to land and the awaked Pan-chan raced out crying for him not to leave. It was in this moment that Ranma stepped through the door of the waiting room and roared, "STOP! Don't you dare land."  
  
"Huh?" Goku asked in confusion, still floating off the ground. His confusion turned to out right shock as Ranma's male form morphed into that of his female body and as she stalked up to him she fumed with feminine rage.  
  
"WE HAVE TO TALK YOUNG MAN!"  
  
To be continued:  
  
*************************  
  
End Notes:  
  
Sorry this took so long, I haven't been idle though I did another part of my Highlander / Ranma fic "Secret Truths." And I completed the first volume of my multi-volume Stargate Sg-1 fic "Beneath the Surface of the Mind." I got so many reviews for my Sg-1 fic I was inspired to keep writing. Hint, Hint.  
  
Let me know what you think of this story please?  
  
Also a special thanks to my pre readers Skunktrain and Taurock for all of their good ideas and work.  
  
Also the lesser-known characters in the last Budokai  
  
Kiuhatsuko – he was Pan-chan's opponent in the original story  
  
Captain Chicken and Kiraano – were the ones who ran off after seeing Goku Vs, Uub  
  
Otokosuki – was the leather clad guy facing Trunks originally  
  
Noshiku – was Vegeta's original opponent the pretty boy all the girls in the stands loved  
  
Ranma and Krillan's entrance into the tournament led to different results in the drawing of who fought whom. And something happened that altered the brackets as well.  
  
Footnotes:  
  
(1) Daxamite – a race of humanoid beings from the DC Comics universe with powers like that of Superman.  
  
(2) (A.N. Anything goes martial arts)  
  
Also some replies to reviews,  
  
Dsywnne – in the first budokai back in Dragonball Krillan faced an opponent who was very stinky and he beat him because he didn't have a nose so he wasn't affected by the stink.  
  
And a run down on the pairings in the Budokai,  
  
Round one  
  
Ranma Vs. Pan-chan  
  
Captain Chicken Vs. Kiraano  
  
Kilroy Vs. Goten  
  
Mr. Buu Vs. Kiuhatsuko  
  
Vegeta Vs. Noshiku  
  
Trunks Vs. Otokosuki  
  
Goku Vs. Uub  
  
Round Two  
  
Ranma Vs Kiraano  
  
Kilroy Vs. Mr. Buu  
  
Trunks Vs. Vegeta  
  
Goku gets a bye  
  
Later,  
  
Signed: Verse12 


	16. Chapter 11 : Boiling Point

The match between Goku and Uub was in full swing and Goku was actually using the match to help Uub improve, anything for a better fight, that's Goku's motto. As the fight escalated up to a Z-Senshi level match Goku taunted him more in order to anger the younger man. Goku wanted to unlock the boy's true potential, Goku's power had grown and grown until he had no more rivals that could match him. But the boy had the power of Buu so if he could unlock that he would finally be able to have a worthwhile match.

Meanwhile up in the stands Ifurita and Master Roshi sat and watched the action as it went back and forth. Ifurita was dressed in a pretty blue sundress with a matching hat while Roshi was in his Jackie Chung disguise for some reason known only to him.

Roshi had commented on how much potential Uub had and how well Goku was doing in his task to unleash it. It was then that things started to get weird; after Goku realized that Uub didn't know how to fly he just stopped the fight and floated there while talking to his family.

Then just before he could have landed in front of Goten and Chi-Chi, an irate Ranma stopped him with a roar of "Stop! Don't you dare land." It was so loud Roshi could hear it over the great distance that separated them.

It was when Ranma shifted into his female form that Roshi realized that things might have been worse than he feared as he whispered in shock, "Akane-chan?"

Ifurita looked at him confused, "why is Ranma in his female form," she asked knowing that he didn't like to be like that.

Roshi sighed and said, "Ranma doesn't like to talk about it, but he had amnesia for a number of years after he arrived in me and Krillan's universe."

"I knew about that, but that doesn't explain why he's acting so strangely," Ifurita replied.

The aged master sighed before he explained that because of that and what happened when they tried to get his memory back Ranma developed something that was a akin to multiple personality disorder.

"That's when we had that problem with his Kuruijini personality, but it wasn't just him it was also Akane, Ranma's female personality, and Ranma himself wrapped up in that whole debacle. It was only later through a long, drawn out process he finally had those personalities folded back inside of himself," Roshi said.

Ifurita took all this in while they cautiously watched 'Son Akane' a.k.a. girl-type Ranma berate this version of Goku. Her tirade made Goku float back away from her, with every step forward she took. Whatever she had said she didn't want him to lose by landing outside the ring for some reason know only to her.

"I was afraid that that year we just spent without our memories had a more serious impact on Ranma than us. If Akane-chan is surfacing..." Roshi trailed off nervously "Well at least it isn't his Kuruijini personality making an appearance."

"Should we do something?" Ifurita asked similarly nervous, as she was concerned for the well being of her friend.

"No," he said after he thought for a moment on that subject. "Let's see if Krillan can do something to diffuse this before we open the can of worms us showing up would cause."

"Okay," Ifurita said with trepidation and worry evident in her voice.

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Only Human

By: Verse12

Verse12 at Hotmail dot Com

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Disclaimer:

I do not own these characters nor do I claim too, this is a simple fan based homage. Their creators and the companies they work for and with own the characters and all that pertains to them. (I.E. Rumiko Takahashi, Viz, Shougakukan, Pioneer LDC, Hiroki Hayashi, Ryoe Tsukimura, Akira Toriyama, DC Comics) This is just fans of the shows expressing their love for it for fun, no profit is involved or expected thank you.

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Chapter Eleven

A Ranma & Ifurita's Excellent Adventure Special

Or

Boiling Point

(A.N. unless it states otherwise in this chapter, Akane will refer to Ranma's female personality.)

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Krillan was freaked out and wasn't sure what to do, he was like that when it involved irate females, even if they were born male. Ranma had been fine and then BAM Akane was back.

He was stunned at this turn of events and didn't do anything at first, he just watched as Akane forced Goku back with her very presence. It was obvious to all that Goku was as confused as could be and just wanted to avoid this obviously crazy person.

"Listen lady, er . . . mister? Uhm? Whatever. I don't really understand, what's your problem?" the messy headed Sayia-jin said in a confused way while he scratched the back of his head.

"MY PROBLEM!" she roared, "My problem, Son Goku, is you right now. First, you plan on just quitting a tournament in the middle and now your heading off for some fool reason. I raised you better than this young man!"

This statement threw everyone for a loop and they didn't know what to say to that ludicrous comment but before anymore could be said Krillan stepped up to his friend and tentatively called out, "Akane?"

She spun around at his call, an angry expression on her face that made him jump back and gulp in fear like the Krillan of old, "And who are you to speak so familiarly with me?"

"Uhm," he said lamely as he looked around nervously cause he realized that there was no way to do this without spilling the beans. He gulped and responded "It's me...Krillan." He ignored the gasps and frowns of those around him that looked so much like his friends and he concentrated on helping Ranma, or Akane, or whoever he was right now.

He saw that she wasn't sure that he was who he said he was and he realized that it was his changed features that confused her. "Yeah, its me. Like the nose?" he said trying to lighten the mood.

Even more confused she nodded and smiled half-heartedly while she ignored Goku's questions for the moment. "Yes, it does look good on you, but when did..." she trailed off as she looked around more confused than ever wondering how she had gotten to where she was and what was going on.

"Where are we?" she muttered, "What's going...on?" she trailed off and grabbed her head before she collapsed to her knees.

"AAARRRGGGHHH!!!" she cried out and fell backwards shifting back to male in mid fall.

Krillan was at his side in an instant and when he regained consciousness he asked tentatively, "Ranma?"

Ranma panted heavily and whispered, "Yeah, its me, Krillan. She came back didn't she?" he questioned with a worried frown. At Krillan's nod Ranma muttered a melancholy sounding curse and stood up on his own.

Ranma looked around and glowered at all the suddenly intense faces of the Z-Senshi around them before he turned back to Goku who had landed on the damaged ring during Akane's tirade. "I'll make a deal with you sport. You stay in the tournament and win, we'll answer your questions but if I win . . . You have to stay to be more responsible to your obligations."

Goku's face turned fierce, as it always does when he is faced with a challenge, and he looked deep into Ranma's eyes before he nodded, "Okay."

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Back up in the stands Master Roshi and Ifurita heaved a collective sigh of relief at the end of the tense moment. And as Ranma stumbled back into the waiting room obviously ignoring any questions directed at him the old perverted martial arts master said, "I wonder if that was just an aberration or something . . . more serious."

"I don't know," Ifurita said with a sigh. "For one thing we don't know enough of what the Emerald Eye (1) did to us when it sent us away from the Legion (2)." She quickly began to count off several still unanswered questions regarding what the eye did. "First," she said while she held up one finger, "Why it sent us where it did the way it did?"

"Second, why did all the medical exams I had on 'White Base' show me to be a human and why, once we got our memories back, did all of our innate abilities and my own unique nature come back as well. Also why did all of our things and equipment just appear before us?"

"Third, well actually fifth, that was a three-part question, but no matter," she said with a shake of her head. "Why did it go to all that trouble to get us out of the way and not kill us? Not only not kill us but gave us back all of our equipment as well? And why did it take away all the repairs and improvements Brainiac 5 (3) made on my systems?(4)"

Muten Roshi just shook his head and commented, "Who's to say what that crazy thing was thinking? I'm convinced though that Vi (5) was fighting its corruption but she just wasn't entirely successful."

The El-Hazardian native just sighed and replied, "You may be right about that, but my real point is that we don't know what else it may have done to us. Could Ranma's problem be part of something else the Emerald Eye did?"

"You could be right," Roshi sighed and nodded grimly.

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Krillan and Ranma sat on the floor away from the others with their backs against the far wall. They talked about what had happened, and Ranma explained how he felt. How he was upset with this Goku when he saw him leaving just like his Goku did.

"All I saw was Gohan and Bulma crushed by him not being there," Ranma said. "And I just... seemed to fade away."

"What happens if I loose it again Krillan? What do I do if I hurt someone and we don't have any Dragonballs to fix it?"

"I don't know Ranma," Krillan said at a loss as for what to say.

"I'm just worried I'm going to come unraveled, man," Ranma said worriedly to his friend. "It's just that after more than a decade of being... okay..."

"Do you feel like you did back then?" Krillan asked his distraught buddy.

"I... I don't know," Ranma thought with some trepidation. "Actually thinking about it you may be on to something, it doesn't feel like it did back then, in the old days I could feel us all roiling about in my head together. But now... now it still feels like I'm whole."

"Well then maybe this was just a, one time thing, yah know?" Krillan offered helpfully, "Maybe it was just brought about by all we've been through lately. And this thing with this universe's Goku from trying to leave his family just like ours did, made your Akane personality pop to the surface somehow. You of all people know how protective of him she was," the shorter man said trying to sooth his taller friend.

After a few minutes of silence Ranma nodded and said that he may be right. "But you know what one of the hardest things about this is?" Ranma asked. "Just being confronted with her again," Ranma sighed and continued letting out his tension. "I got over that a long time ago... I got over her a long time ago. You know reintegrating all of my parts was one of the hardest things I've ever had to do and now . . ." Ranma trailed off.

"I'm sorry man," is all Krillan could say in commiseration as he gave Ranma a comforting pat on the back.

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Meanwhile, over on the other side of the room, the assembled Z-Senshi were arguing over what to do. It took all of their efforts to keep Chi-Chi from going over there and giving Ranma a piece of her mind for butting in on things that didn't concern him.

Videl simply sat beside Gohan while she held little Pan-chan in her lap and leaned against her husband as she waited to see what would happen next.

Goten had gotten up and was arguing loudly with everyone that they should just take them both out since they were obviously enemies (he was a little upset over his loss and the merciless teasing he received from Trunks and Vegeta)

Vegeta of course agreed with Goten. However, Trunks said they should find out more about them before making a decision on what to do, and that they shouldn't go off half-cocked.

In the end though, Goku overruled them when he said he gave his word to finish the Budokai and when he won he believed they would keep their word. Plus he made the point that if Kilroy was in fact Krillan somehow he may have had a reason for hiding, kind of like what future Trunks did when he withheld who he was when he first showed up. He ended the discussion when he said, "Lets just play this out and see what's up, okay guys?"

Most of them agreed that in matters relating to both tactics and trusting people Goku knew what he was talking about, in those matters if in none others.

Vegeta was the only remaining dissenter and he didn't seem to really care that much, in fact his comments seemed to be more perfunctory than anything else.

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It was going to take a little while to repair the ring so the fighters were allowed to rest during that time. A fact that Ranma took advantage of, he wasn't that physically hurt but his emotions were running wild. So he spent the rest of the forty-five minute break relaxing and gathering his mental strength. He had no thought that his next opponent, Kiraano would be a problem, but he knew that the one after him, who would more than likely be the big pink alien monster known as Mr. Buu could be a BIG problem. Unless he was handled just right, that is.

When the call for the next fighters came Ranma was in control of himself once more and hopped up and strode out to the quickly restored arena. Kiraano made some disparaging remarks about how he was going to make this quick so he could try and take on Hercule's greatest student Mr. Buu.

Ranma on the other hand simply smirked and replied, "We'll see pretty boy, we'll see."

At the call to begin Ranma simply stood there with his hands behind his back while he rocked back and forth on his heals. He looked totally off guard; of course we know that this has always been a favored façade of his.

The pretty boy fighter Kiraano smiled broadly at the thought of an easy victory and he dashed forward and threw a hard right cross at Ranma's face. Only Ranma wasn't there anymore and before Kiraano's momentum could make him fall forward Ranma simply grabbed him by his out stretched arm and threw him almost negligently with one hand. Kiraano flew over the ring and landed outside the ring with a

Dull thud.

Ranma was quickly declared the winner and he strode cockily back to the waiting room with his hands in his pockets while whistling a jaunty tune. The Z-Senshi opened a path as they watched him warily and wondered what was really going on. Many had bad memories of what happened the last time they competed in the Budokai, back just before Buu first showed up.

Ranma went up to his friend Krillan and clapped him on the shoulder and said, "Good luck. Remember to do your best. I hope you have a strategy for that pink marshmallow over there because he's so strong it's almost scary."

"I'm gonna do my best and we'll just have to see," Krillan replied with a nervous chuckle. "I'll tell you what; I'm going to go out fighting that's for sure."

Ranma laughed heartily at his friends never say die attitude and gave him a friendly shove toward the door as they called him and Mr. Buu to the Ring.

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The match didn't last long, to his credit Krillan did his best, he powered up and attacked Mr. Buu with everything he had. But it didn't do anything; Buu didn't even stop eating the cake in his hands. He just took all the punches and kicks that Krillan threw and bounced back.

He didn't even seem to notice his opponent that is until Krillan tried his buzz saw mini disk technique. And while they didn't do much more than go through the big pink monstrosity and they left no noticeable mark they did destroy his cake. And as everyone who has seen him can say, YOU DON'T MESS WITH MR. BUU'S SWEETS.

Luckily he stopped before he killed the shorter man but Krillan was hurting something fierce. Goten and Vegeta smirked and made rude comments about the man they knew as Kilroy but when Ranma pulled out a pouch and gave his friend a Senzu bean they took notice. The others in the waiting room and the ones in the luxury box also took note of it and the ones who hadn't heard his comment about being Krillan were wondering what was up. In fact none of those in the luxury box knew what was going on, except for a couple of Nameks with great hearing.

Ranma and Krillan still just ignored all the questions and demands for answers. All they would say was that if they both lost the tournament then they would tell them what they knew but only then.

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The rest of the second round went by quickly, Vegeta beat Trunks in a brutal fight in which the outcome was never in doubt. While Goku advanced automatically due to the structure of the tournament and what bracket he was in.

The Third Round was structured like this,

Ranma vs. Mr. Buu

And

Goku vs. Vegeta

Their was a twenty minute break between rounds and during this time Ranma ran off to get something that he believed would enable him to beat Mr. Buu.

So when the call to the ring happened Ranma almost lost by forfeit as he was running late. But luckily he showed up just in time, he ran up to the ring while he held on to two big brown paper bags. He apologized for being late and went over and placed the bags on the ground outside of the ring. Before he climbed into the ring he took a big chocolate cake out of one of the bags and set it on top of the now empty bag that he had laid out flat on the grass.

The other bag he set next to the ring and, with a smirk, he hopped onto the hard concrete surface of the ring.

Ranma walked up to Buu and shook his hand and said that he hoped that they had a good match. This confused Buu as he watched his opponent walk back over to his own starting position by the edge of the ring, but he grinned and thought in his simple way that it was nice to meet someone nice at these things. Of course his eyes kept being drawn to the big cake sitting behind his opponent and his tongue kept licking his lips.

Goku though, was frowning, as he looked at the ring, Goten and Trunks were laughing and joking, to them it was all over and Buu had won. Goku and Vegeta though were both frowning from opposite sides of the door, while Goku's new student Uub simply stood beside him, confused by all the weird events he had witnessed.

When the match was signaled to begin Buu didn't even hear it his total attention being on that delectable looking cake. "Do you want some of my cake?" Ranma asked after a moment with a sly smile, he still didn't have the best poker face.

"OH?" the bottomless stomach known as Mr. Buu asked and looked back to his opponent with an eager smile that split his face.

"Sure go and help yourself, this can wait a second, I don't mind. In fact since I know you want it so bad you can have the whole thing," the former Neriman said with a grin.

Buu of course grinned broadly and thought about how nice his new friend was but before he could act on his new gift Goku realized what was going on and yelled out to him. "Buu it's a trick, don't fall for it. He just wants you to go outside the ring so he can win."

Buu heard this and frowned, "You try trick Buu? You not nice." Buu then grinned slyly and said, "You not smart, Buu no need to land to get cake."

Suddenly Buu's arms grew out and stretched all the way past Ranma over to the cake, which he promptly picked up and drew back to his waiting mouth, into which it disappeared with much slurping and munching.

Ranma muttered a quiet curse and mumbled, "On to plan B then."

Ranma turned to the chocolate smeared Buu and grinned, "HEY FAT BOY!"

"Huh?" Buu looked up with a frown, while all the Z-Senshi gulped. Whatever the new guy's plan was he was walking the razor's edge with this one.

"You make fun of Buu?" The pink blob said with a hint of malice appearing in its super sweet voice.

"Yeah 'I make fun of Buu,'" Ranma said with a mocking tone, "you stupid, no good, piece of fat lard. Your nothing but a big marshmallow and only half as smart," Ranma yelled out with a cocky grin as if he was in control the whole time.

"Uhm, does he have a death wish or something?" Goten gulped from his position with the others.

Buu just yelled an unintelligible roar as steam whistled out of his head before he rushed for Ranma. Now if Ranma had not been expecting this, and not had it timed out in his head to the millisecond, he would not have been fast enough to do this. But what he did was, as Buu rushed for him in a rage, Ranma ducked to the side while he stuck out his leg, which caused Buu to trip with perfect timing.

And since Ranma was standing near the edge... Buu flew forward and landed face first onto the grass. Ranma realized he only had a second before Buu would be on him no matter what the rules said so he grabbed the second bag that was hidden next to the stage and pulled out another cake.

So when Buu rushed toward him in a rage he barely had time to hold up the cake and if there was one thing that could ALWAYS get through to Buu it was sweets. So there was Ranma, flinching back with his eyes squeezed shut and hoping he didn't make a Genma sized miscalculation when he realized that the cake was gone and he was still alive.

He peaked out and saw Buu going to town on the large confection, Ranma sighed in relief and said, "Sorry about that Buu. I wasn't talking to you... I was... uh... talking to that fat guy in the stands behind you. You very smart and quiet slim if I do say so."

Buu looked up at his opponent with a doubting expression and licked off all of the chocolate from around his mouth with an abnormally long tongue.

Ranma realized that this wouldn't be enough so he pulled out the big guns when he said, "And to prove it to you I would like to give you this gift certificate for the bakery on 7th street."

Ranma stood there holding out the little bit of paper and he realized Buu may not have known what a gift certificate was, "It's a coupon for free cake," he said by way of explanation.

"WAHH! FREE CAKE!!!" the jolly giant said in joy as he grabbed Ranma into a big hug. "You friend, you come with Buu for cake?"

"Uhm... if I can, sure buddy, sorry about the misunderstanding you know."

Then in his chirp like voice Buu started to sing to himself about cake as he skipped off to the bakery, not realizing or caring anymore that he just lost the match.

As Ranma walked past the dumb struck Sayia-jin he commented, as if talking only to himself, "Raw strength isn't everything. If you know your opponent, then you're already half way to beating him."

"Arrogant little puke," Vegeta roared, not caring a lick for Ranma's attitude. It took Goten, Trunks, and Gohan to hold him back. And even then he didn't stop, it was only when Goku reminded him that they were up next that he relented, mollified by the thought of another chance to best Kakkarot at last.

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The fight between Goku and Vegeta started out slowly, then grew bigger and bigger. The two powerhouses held back enough so that no one in the stands would be hurt, but even when they were high up in the air their blows shook the stadium.

The ironic thing was that most of the spectators still believed that this was all a trick like Hercule always said. They further thought that it was a shame that the Budokai had so obviously sold out when they had to resort to cheap special effects.

The bout between Goku and Vegeta lasted for almost an hour without either gaining the upper hand. They both felt constrained, limiting the level at which they fought but they both knew that if they went any higher they would never hear the end of it from their respective wives.

It finally ended when Goku got a blow in that stunned Vegeta enough that he couldn't stop himself in time to avoid hitting the ground outside of town.

Thus Goku won his semi-final match and would go up against Ranma in the finals.

To be continued:

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Footnotes:

(1) – The Emerald Eye of Ekron is a floating glass eye with a green iris. It is an artifact of emense power and capable of virtually anything. It is limited in the fact that it needs a human host to help guide its action, because it's sentience is not fully capable of complete indapendence. Oh and it is completely evil and corrupts its host, usually a woman who takes on the title of Emerald Empress. It is from the DC Comics title 'The Legion of Super Heroes.'

(2) – The afformentioned Legion of Super Heroes.

(3) – Brainiac 5 or Brainy to his friends is one of the greatest geniuses of any reality. I'm talking Washu level smart. Only she has a lot more experience given that he was only a 16 or so at the time they met him.

(4) – Braniac 5 not only repaired Ifurita's system's he upgraded them. But all of the repairs and Improvements were undone by the Emerald Eye.

(5) - Vi, is short for 'Shrinking Violet,' the code name for Salu Digby of the Legion who was taken over by the Emerald Eye.

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Endnotes:

I am sooooooooo sorry everyone, I have had this done for about six months. I just couldn't finish the editing of this, but I have and I think it turned out well. As always let me know what you thought. If you had any problems with anything please let me know, thank you once again.

Also a special thanks to my pre-readers Skunktrain and Taurock for all of their good ideas and work.

By my original plans this was only the half way mark of chapter 11. And this was going to end this story arc. But when I looked back on my notes I felt some points were kinda weak and I decided to build up some points and well I felt I should just split it into two chapters. The next chapter will finish this story arc and have them headed for Nerima at long last. I'm looking forward to that.

Also to answer some questions in the reviews, -

Mystery person – the reason Ranma didn't want Goku to land outside the ring was that Goku would have technically lost the match against Uub. Now why that was so important to Ranma/Akane... well you'll just have to watch and see.

Guy – I hope you see now why Ranma acted the way he did at the end chapter 10. And as for his altered DBZ universe, don't worry he will go back at some point. Actually that is my plan for the sequel to this fic I plan on calling it "Still Human" this fic will go through Ranma's return to Nerima and dealing with all the things I have planned for him there (you have no idea the things I have in mind. We're just getting to the good stuff now.)

His return will pick up around the time of the Budokai that Goku got too return to for one day. But as you'll see things in that timeline will be waaayyyy different.

Anyway that's a ways away, I have a lot of ground to cover before I get there. But I think you'll like what I have planned. Wait till you see 'Interlude Five: Dark Murmurings' that will be after chapter twelve.

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When I first started writing this I added this little update on what I had done around that time. Sad to say I haven't done much since this time, but I hope that will all change soon.

I finally did an update on one of my first fics "Love Found?" I also cleaned up all of the earlier chapters in that story.

I also posted a Ranma. Sailormoon, Robotech/Macross story called "Past & Future" that I think has a lot of potential.

I added another chapter to this fic's Prequel "Big Sister."

And I posted a few new parts to my Stargate Sg-1 fic "Beneath the Surface of the Mind."

Next on the list is a new chapter of "Secret Truths" I've had some good ideas on that one recently. Or maybe another part to "Past & Future"

I also want to revise some of the earlier chapters of this fic and "Secret Truths" for grammar and spelling I think I have improved a bit since I wrote those chapters.

But you guys let me know what you think I should do next, okay? If I get enough responses for a certain story it may give me the spark I need.

Thank you all for every thing and please review, I would especially like it if some one would review the latest chapter of "Love Found?" I didn't get any reviews for that one and that's a first for me. It kind of bummed me out.

Thanks again,

Later.

Signed: Verse12


	17. Chapter 12: Overflowing

The tournament had been going all day, and the last match was finally at hand, Son Goku Vs. the newcomer Ranma Saotome. They stood across from each other on the large concrete ring, and waited for the announcer to finish his pre-fight spiel. Both of them had neutral looks on their faces, as they mentally prepared for what was to come. Goku was sure he could handle his opponent, but he was curious as to what he was going to do next, Ranma had yet to show his true potential, and Goku definitely wanted to know what he was going to do.

Ranma on the other hand knew he was in for the fight of his life. His Goku was probably at least ten times more powerful than he was now. This Goku was beyond that; this Goku was easily a hundred times more powerful than he was. And the only hope he had was he had to go with everything he had, and hope he got VERY lucky.

* * *

Only Human 

By Verse12

Verse12 (At) Hotmail (Dot) Com

* * *

Disclaimer:

By do not own these characters nor do I claim too, this is a simple fan based homage. Their creators and the companies they work for and with own the characters and all that pertains to them. (I.E. Rumiko Takahashi, Viz, Shougakukan, Pioneer LDC, Hiroki Hayashi, Ryoe Tsukimura, Akira Toriyama, Marvel Comics, DC Comics, Artmic, Youmex, Bandai, C2) This is just fans of the shows expressing their love for it for fun, no profit is involved or expected thank you.

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Chapter Twelve 

Ranma & Ifurita's Excellent Adventure Special

Or

Overflowing

* * *

The announcer had left the stage and signaled the beginning of the match, and the two fighters looked across at each other, each one measuring the others skill and power. 

"Hey," Ranma called out, "lets do this," he said with a smirk. And at that Ranma's power level skyrocketed, and in the same millisecond he flickered from where he was, and reappeared behind Goku's back with a right cross coming at his head.

Of course Goku sensed that, and flickered as well, leaving Ranma to swing through his afterimage, who then doubled over from the shin kick Goku delivered in retaliation.

Ranma swung a back fist at his opponent and barely clipped his chin. Ranma used this momentary respite to flip back away from the Sayia-jin; he continued to back flip until he was all the way on the other side of the ring.

Goku smirked at the human across from him and rubbed his chin in amused surprise, While Ranma called out, "nice kick."

"Thanks," Goku yelled out, "I'm surprised you could follow me even at this level."

"Well I may have a few surprises left in me," Ranma responded.

"Really?" Goku said with an interested smile, "I'd like to see that."

"Well I'll do what I can do to accommodate you," the former Neriman resident replied with his own smile.

* * *

Meanwhile up in the luxury box the family and Z-Senshi who had not entered the Budokai laughed at the sight before them. Imagine a regular human who thought he could even compete with Goku. 

Piccolo though of course was not laughing not that he would anyway, but he had overheard some things from down in the ring that had left him thinking.

"I wouldn't laugh to much," he finally grumbled to the others in the room.

"Huh? Whys that Piccolo?" the Krillan of this reality asked with a confused expression.

"Theirs more going on here than we know, these guys are up to something," the big Namekian grumbled in his deep bass voice.

"What do you mean," Yamcha asked with a worried tone of voice, afraid of being caught up in another life and death struggle. "I mean sure he's strong but he doesn't seem to even be as strong as that Kilroy guy from earlier.

"Maybe," the green skinned warrior said, in a tone that left no dispute that he didn't think so.

"Look that guy's up to something," Bulma called out as she leaned out the window.

When the saw and felt what Ranma did, well lets just say some jaws dropped.

Ranma had let the smile fade from his face as he powered up with a roar, "AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

* * *

Goku frowned as Ranma's power grew and grew until he let out one final shout and the ground shook with his roar and the concrete cracked. Goku cast his senses at his opponent and was mildly shocked, not that his power was anywhere close to his but he was very strong for a human, about as strong as Goku himself was when he first came to the planet Namek. 

Ranma smirked as energy sheathed his body in a torrent of power, "this is nothing, watch this."

"KAIO-KEN TIMES TEN," he roared as his aura exploded to blinding levels. And while Goku was temporarily shocked, by someone else knowing this move Ranma made his move and flickered out of sight.

A hard right cross that lead instantly into a knee to the stomach caught Goku off guard. And while he had the initiative Ranma pressed in and followed up with a reverse vertical roundhouse kick that launched Goku high into the air and left Ranma standing on the ring with one leg pointed straight up above his head while the other was firmly on the ground.

While Goku was soaring into the air by Ranma's kick he began to shake off the effects easily. In fact it wasn't the attack that affected him so much as it was the shock of what Ranma had done. Of course Ranma wasn't going to let up for even an instant and even as Goku began to regain his bearings Ranma had flickered down on the ring and reappeared just above Goku and brought his hands down in a duel overhand blow that sent Goku instantly down into the concrete ring.

The explosion of dust and debris was thrown high into the air when Goku impacted the ring. The shocked silence that followed up that move was broken by Ranma as he floated high in the air, as he roared, "KAAAA - MEEEE - HAAAA - MEEEEE - HA!" With that Ranma brought his hands forward and let lose a brilliant beam of light straight at where Goku had landed.

* * *

The glare from the blast blinded the eyes of the spectators in the luxury box, and left them blinking in shock. 

"How?" Bulma asked in shock, with a stunned expression on her face.

Piccolo's eyes narrowed as his vision cut threw the glare much easier than a human's could. "He's strong, much stronger than his friend, in fact he's the strongest human I've ever seen."

The Krillan of this universe frowned down at the ring and stroked his graying mustache, "he's stronger than I ever was." He smiled slyly, "but it looks like Goku isn't going to be anyone's punching bag," he said as he gestured to the center of the ring as Goku burst out of the piles of concrete.

"My question is how did he learn the kiao-ken?" Android 18 said in her usual monotone manner.

"Not only that," Piccolo said as he watched Goku shake off the concrete dust that covered his blue tunic. "I want to know how he hid his power so perfectly from all of us."

"Your right," Krillan nodded with a frown, "usually even if you tamp down your power level one of us can usually get some sense, even if its just the fact that something is being hidden."

Piccolo nodded at this statement and he frowned, "watch his movements."

"Huh?" Dende said with a confused frown, as he looked at Ranma as he floated back down to the damaged ring, to join Goku, "what do you mean?"

"This Ranma," the big Namekian said, "he was using what looked like Kame Ryu style, but now he seems to have switched to some other school, he's tricky."

* * *

Goku's grin split his face as he looked across at his opponent. "WOW, that was something," he said with innocent amazement. 

"I aim to please," Ranma said with a grin of his own.

"Now though it's my turn," the Saiya-jin warrior said with a suddenly fierce grin. And before Ranma could respond Goku flickered from view, and reappeared next to Ranma while throwing a punch at his face.

Goku's fist though went straight threw his human adversaries afterimage. The reverse then happened as Ranma counterattacked. This actually went on for several seconds as they disappeared and reappeared all about and above the ring.

Finally though as Goku came in for a hard right, thinking that Ranma would once again evade in the normal manner, he was shocked by what he did. Ranma grabbed Goku's wrist with both hands and slipped down between Goku's legs pulling his arm with him. The end result was Goku ended up flipped end over end and landed flat on his back.

In fact he lay there for a moment blinking owlishly, 'how did he grab me like that?' he thought. After that he flipped back on to his feet, with a grin, 'I want to find out, that's for sure.'

What began then was a series of attacks and feints by Goku, that Ranma evaded and flowed around with a graceful style that has not been seen by the Z-Senshi.

After about five minutes of this Goku jumped back and frowned at his opponent. 'He's reading my moves,' he thought with a shocked frown.

'He's using this style of his to bend around my moves instead of meeting me head on like I'm used to.'

'He's sneaky,' he thought with a sudden smile, 'this is shaping up to be kind of fun. I always like to see different kinds of fights, and any kind of challenge is cool.'

* * *

Over in the fighter's waiting room the assembled warriors watched with varying degrees of shock and confusion. "THIS ISN'T POSSIBLE!" Vegeta roared, "He isn't even as strong as Freiza was, how is that pitiful little nothing of a Human even daring to try to match a Saiya-jin warrior. Even one as stupid as Kakkarot," The Prince of the Saiya-jin finished with a snarl. 

The Krillan that has been traveling with Ranma for so long leaned against the window as he watched the fight outside. "Raw strength isn't everything," he remarked to the furious Saiyan Prince, without taking his eyes from the fight.

"WHAT DID YOU SAY YOU LITTLE PUKE!" Vegeta shouted as he spun to face Krillan.

"Just what I said Vegeta," Krillan said as he turned to face the angry Saiya-jin. "A little strength combined with A lot of skill can even things out a lot, in terms of martial arts." With that the short human turned back to watching the fight, his final mumbled comments drowned out by Vegeta's furious rebuttal, but what he said was, "it can overcome a lot, but it's not going to be enough today."

* * *

The fight between Ranma and Goku went on for several more minutes. With Ranma using his superior skills in the art to read Goku's moves. But that wasn't all he was doing, this wasn't his Goku but he was close enough for Ranma's purposes. Ranma knows Goku's style and this one is using Kame Ryu and Kai Ryu styles, it's easy for him to read the moves he was going to do. 

But something was spoiling Ranma's enjoyment of this fight, 'he's holding back on me,' he thought with a frown,' and if I'm right he's holding back a lot.'

With that thought Ranma flipped backwards to the other side of the ring and he frowned at his opponent across from him. "Goku, can you please respect me enough to not play with me."

"Huh?" the Sayia-jin responded intelligently.

"Let me see your true power... Go all out, please," Ranma said with a determined air.

Goku frowned at that from his spot several yards away, before he floated back a few more feet and nodded, "okay."

As he stood there the sky began to darken as clouds began to roll in, and began to spin about in the sky directly above Goku.

Power began to flicker about Goku's body as a low growl began in the back of his throat and his eyes began to glow and lost that innocent air that always exists in the back of Goku's eyes.

A tremor began in the ground as things started to shake, and Goku's aura began to grow to blinding intensity.

Then Goku threw back his head and let loose a loud roar, as his hair turned golden and his form bulked up slightly.

"Super Saiyan," Ranma whispered.

Goku's power died down momentarily before he yelled out again as he and his hair grew.

"Level two," slipped quietly from Ranma's lips.

All went quiet before a deafening bellow came from Goku's lips that shattered glass for blocks his battle aura exploded outwards shattering the ground under his feet and causing loose debris to float in mid air. As this happened he grew even larger and his hair grew down to his mid-back, while his forehead sloped and his brow grew more pronounced, giving him a slightly menacing face.

"I knew there was a level beyond level two," Ranma whispered in stunned amazement. 'Gohan was so close to breaking into this level while he was fighting Supreme Cell,' the human warrior thought.

"Thank you," Ranma called out to his opponent.

"No problem," Goku nodded before he... disappeared, and before the impulses in Ranma's brain could register this he was hit faster and harder than he had ever thought possible.

Moments later Ranma fell to the ground in a bloody heap, his body mangled and broken, but he was still alive. And much to Goku's surprise he was conscious, Ranma lay on his back on the concrete looking up at the sky as the clouds formed by Goku's transformation disappeared. One eye seemed completely swollen shut, Ranma noticed distantly before he turned his head wearily toward Goku and mumbled around his swollen jaw, "Thanks."

"No problem," Goku murmured as he returned to his normal state. Ranma groaned and tiredly draped one broken arm over his face.

Goku was about to go get help for the injured man when he heard Chi-chi's 'VOICE OF DOOM' screech from behind him "SON-GOKU, IF YOU DON'T GET OVER HERE RIGHT NOW, I will NEVER COOK FOR YOU AGAIN!"

Hearing his wife's pronouncement Goku's face fell and a look of such horror appeared that some who saw it felt like the very fiends of hell were upon him. With a speed that astounded even the other Z-Senshi Goku flickered and appeared before his confused wife, ready to fall to his knees and BEG for her pronouncement not to come to pass.

But before he could stop levitating Vegeta roared a thunderous "STOP," causing all to look to him and Goku to stay floating a few inches off the ground. "You idiot," he muttered while shaking his head, "even if you deserve it I will not let a pathetic human defeat a Sayia-jin, it's obvious the woman didn't say anything."

"But? I heard Chi-chi, yell," Goku questioned.

"But I didn't," the woman in question said in confusion.

Vegeta cut off any more discussion, "the fool in ring had something to do with this I'm sure," he said with a glare at Ranma, as he lay out on the ring barely conscious.

"Well… it was worth a shot," Ranma murmured through his pain before he fell unconscious.

"Showoff," Krillan muttered good-naturedly before he strode out to collect his friend as the announcer named Goku the winner.

* * *

As Krillan reached his friend he winced as he saw him and the shape he was in, 'just had to see how strong he was huh?' he thought with a shake of the head. 

As he leaned over and hefted the larger man over his shoulder he brought the signet ring on his finger to his mouth, "hey guys, you better make you way over here. I think we are going to have to explain things," he said.

"Is Ranma all right?" Ifurita's voice is heard from the ring, it's L shaped emblem plainly visible on its surface.

"Yeah," Krillan replied with a smile "I'll make sure he's all right, just get over here to help explain things."

"Okay, we copy we'll make out way over there as quickly as we can," Ifurita responded.

"See ya soon," Krillan said as he adjusted Ranma on his shoulder and began to walk toward the fighter's waiting room.

"ALL RIGHT HE LOST, NOW WHAT'S GOING ON HERE," Vegeta roared at Krillan in anger.

"Hey, lets get Ranma up and about and then we can talk, okay?" Krillan said defensively. "Let me put him down over here on the table and then we can see."

Krillan set down Ranma and went over to his bag by the wall, "now what," Vegeta muttered angrily.

"He's out cold, how are you going to give him a senzu bean?" Gohan asked in confusion, "we need to get him into a healing tube first, he's pretty hurt, or maybe get Dende."

"I've got something a little better for situation's like this," Krillan said with a cocky grin, as he rummaged through his bag.

"And what's that?" Videl asked in confusion.

"That, is this," Krillan exclaimed with triumph as he pulled out a circular disk made of a stone like material with a matching band over the middle. (1) With a smile Krillan slipped the band over his hand and walked back over to Ranma, "this will help enough so we can get him a senzu."

"This is a device here is one I obtained a couple of years back, it will heal him enough to get a senzu in him," Krillan said with a grin as he waved the disk in his palm over Ranma. A soft glow came from the disk as it radiated over Ranma, "only people with certain genetic trait can use this, now give me a minute to concentrate," with this the short man closed his eyes and concentrated on the healing device as Ranma's wounds lessened and eased.

"Look," Goten said in amazement, "that's pretty cool, like having Dende's healing powers in a hand held gadget."

"What kind of power cell does that thing use anyway," Trunks asked once Krillan stopped using the healing device?

"Whoa," Krillan murmured as he staggered and leaned against the table, "uh, I don't really know all of that, and the stuff it's made of doesn't even exist in this universe."

"You okay?" Goku asked in concern.

"Yeah, I'm okay, this just takes a lot out of you."

"You'd better be okay, all we need is for both of you to pass out," the prince of the Sayian's said sarcastically, "So when will the idiot wake up."

"Now, you prince of nothing," Ranma muttered as he stirred on the table.

"WHAT DID YOU SAY, YOU &#$," Vegeta roared.

"Simmer down Vegeta," Goku said with a shake of his head. "You okay?" he asked Ranma as he walked over to him and handed him a senzu.

"Yeah I'm all right, I'll be even better once I eat this, thanks," Ranma, replied with nod as he chewed the bean.

"OH YEAH," he exclaimed as he was restored to full vitality.

"Defiantly better now," Ranma said with a cocky grin.

"Great, now you can give me some answers," Vegeta jumped in.

"Yeah how did you do that thing with my voice?" Chi-chi asked.

"Yeah, did you do that?" Goku questioned.

Ranma looked over to Krillan and rolled his eyes, "yeah that was me, and as to how I did it… well lets just say that the way we travel has certain side affects. And one of them gave me the power to duplicate any voice or sound I have ever heard."

"How you travel?" Trunks asked in an intrigued fashion.

"Yeah," Krillan began and glanced over at Ranma before returning his attention to the others, "what do you know about alternate realities."

* * *

To be continued: 

In Only Human: Chapter 14

A scene from chapter 14

"Yeah, in our reality Goku and Bulma got married," Ranma, said nonchalantly with a smirk.

"KAKKAROOOTTTTT!" Vegeta roared, "YOU AND MY WIFE! YOU… ARE… A… DEAD MAN!" With this Vegeta's power exploded in a torrent of energy as he flew at Goku with all of his strength.

* * *

Footnotes: 

(1) – Yes to all of you Stargate Sg-1 fans out there, this is in fact a healing device like the one found in the season two episode "Thor's Chariot"

Endnotes:

Once again I am soooo sorry for taking so long to update. I have actually had the bulk of this chapter written for sometime. But then my PDA broke, and other Real Life issues took most of my desires to write with them. Also part of this story was accidentally deleted and I had to restore some of what I had already written, and let me tell you that was not fun to do I hate to rewrite stuff.

I originally had planned to finish this part of the story with this chapter, but after reaching a pretty good length I didn't want to delay anymore. So I figured that I needed to just cut it off here and finish the explanations and wrap up in a new chapter.

I won't make any promises on what will and won't be updated next. Every time I try to predict what will be my next thing it usually is wrong. So I will just tell everyone still reading this that I plan on finishing my stories and I haven't given up on anything. I am already working on the next chapter though.

And once again thanks to my prereader Taurock on this one.

Oh and one more thing, I have totally changed "Big Sister Interlude one" and the changes will have a bareing on this one so let me know what you think.

So once again let me know what you think and please review.

Thanks again, later.

Signed: Verse12


	18. Chapter 13: Cool Down Part 1

Ifurita and Master Roshi made their way thru the throngs of people that were exiting the stadium after the news was broadcast that the final match between Goku and Hercule was canceled because Goku pulled out. It wasn't easy for them as the teeming masses were going one way and the two interdimensional travelers were attempting to go in the other direction. "Come on Roshi-sensei," the pale android woman said as she griped his hand as she pulled him thru the crowded mob.

Roshi for his part was grinning from ear to ear at the pale skinned beauty holding on to his hand, sure she was just trying to make sure they were not separated but hey he thought, 'I'll take what I can get.' Ifurita glanced back at the perverted master and frowned, 'why are all old martial artists perverts?' she thought. "Muten Roshi," she called out sharply to get his attention, when he looked up she continued, "If you are done feeling my hand perhaps we could get on to the task at hand, humm?"

"Cough, cough, yes… uhm… sorry lets find the others," he said with a slight blush. With the two of them working together they were able to make it to the wall that surrounded the ring. Not caring who was watching the two of them slipped over the wall and down to the grass that surrounded the ring. As they made their way over to the fighter's waiting room the two of them reflected on all that may await them inside, and hoped that they may be able to forgo a huge brawl before they left a reality.

Surprisingly enough they were not stopped by any of the monks that managed the event and soon they were at the door to the waiting room, just in time to hear Krillan say, "what do you know about alternate realities." Upon hearing that the two of them glanced at each other and strode inside to see the large group of fighters along with Chi-chi and another young woman they had never seen before as they confronted their two friends. "Hello sorry to intrude," Ifurita said with a disarming smile, "Ranma, Krillan are the two of you all right?"

Ranma glanced over to the door to see his two other friends and he smiled, "yes Ifurita we're fine, come on in and help us translate things into baka, for the broom head over there," Ranma said with a nod towards a fuming Vegeta.

* * *

Only Human 

By Verse12

Verse12(at)Hotmail(dot)Com

* * *

Disclaimer: 

By do not own these characters nor do I claim too, this is a simple fan based homage. Their creators and the companies they work for and with own the characters and all that pertains to them. (I.E. Rumiko Takahashi, Viz, Shougakukan, Pioneer LDC, Hiroki Hayashi, Ryoe Tsukimura, Akira Toriyama, Marvel Comics, DC Comics, Artmic, Youmex, Bandai, C2) This is just fans of the shows expressing their love for it for fun, no profit is involved or expected thank you.

* * *

Chapter Thirteen 

Ranma & Ifurita's Excellent Adventure Special

Or

Cool Down Part One

* * *

Bulma sat in the luxury box with the other Z-Senshi and their families and thought over the events of the last few hours. They had all come to see this new human fighter that Goku said could rival even a Saiya-jin. And while the others seemed to believe that the boy Uub was the one, and he probably was, two other fighters had popped up and astounded them all. One had defeated Goten while the other had actually beaten Mr. Buu and held his own with Goku for a short time. 

Bulma listened to the others as they talked and debated over things that had happened. But all conversation came to a stop when Vegeta's thunderous roar is heard from the waiting room downstairs, "YOU DARE! YOU WILL DIE!"

Bulma sighed and stood up gathering Bra and turning to the others, "come one lets go see what's got him so riled up now." Leading her daughter with her the blue haired scientist walked out the door, muttering to herself about how much trouble 'That Man' could be.

Piccolo followed her out but not before wrinkling his nose at the wet spot that had appeared on Yamcha's pants, after Vegeta's booming pronouncement. The others followed soon after and the group tromped downstairs. "This is such a bad idea," this universe's Krillan said with shake of his head, as he followed his wife and daughter with the others.

* * *

When Bulma arrived at the back door to the waiting room, she just shook her head and sighed, Vegeta was struggling to get at a surprisingly unafraid Ranma. Her husband was being held back by Goku, Gohan, Goten and Trunks. 

"Is he insane," she heard her long time friend Krillan whisper from her elbow as he beheld the new guys calm attitude at being inches away from Vegeta's wrath.

"Who knows," she said before she took a big breath and hollered, "VEGETA SIMMER DOWN OR… YOU… WILL… BE…SORRY!"

With that Vegeta froze in place turned his head to his wife, "you heard me buster," she repeated. "But," he began as he was still held in place by the other Saiya-jin, "NO BUTS MISTER!" his wife roared. "Now are you going to behave yourself? Or are the boys going to have to hold on to you till New Year?"

At some imperceptible lessening of his anger Bulma nodded to the men holding her husband and they gradually let him loose, "that's better, now" she said turning to the new guys, "what's going on here? I haven't seen him this worked up in years."

"Uh, sorry that would be my fault," Ranma said with a sheepish grin.

"And who are all of you?" Bulma said with an exasperated tone of voice.

"Uh, that is kind of a long story," Ranma stated sheepishly, "well first off we don't mean any harm. We're just kind of passing through here and we wanted to, well I wanted to join the Budokai."

"Mom, he mentioned something about 'Alternate Realities' a minute ago," Trunks replied as he strode over to his mother and sister.

"Alternate Realities?" the scientist in her questioned back.

"Yeah, know anything," the former neriman said back with a cautious air.

"Well," the blue haired woman said with a frown, "only just the general theories that science has speculated over for some time. Are you trying to say…?"

"Well… yeah," Ranma confirmed.

"Yeah right," Vegeta fumed from across the room as he stood with his arms crossed. "You expect us to believe this crap? What are you really after, you seem smart enough in your own way, you know you can't beat us in a straight up fight, so what is you plan, huh?"

Ranma sighed and shook his head before he looked at Goku, "I promised you I'd be straight with you and I am going to do so, whether 'his majesty'," he said mockingly, "believes me or not I don't care."

"Okay." Goku nodded as he studied the four unknowns in the room seriously, before he looked at the old man next to the pale woman, "JACKIE CHUNG!" he shouted in shock. "I haven't seen you since I was a kid, WOW, it's great to see you again. Where have you been?"

At this oblivious statement everyone and I mean everyone sweat-dropped and shook their heads in exasperation. Well everyone but the Roshi of this world, he shouted, "WHAT!" And the old pervert stalked over to the… other old pervert and proceeded to try and rip off the wig on 'Jackie's' head. After a brief scuffle and a sore head on the part of 'Jackie'

"Before we go off on two long of a tangent," Krillan interjected, "lets just cut to the chase. We're all from alternate realities, I'm Krillan Chestnut just like the little scaredy cat over there," he didn't pause at the other Krillan's audible objection to that comment, he just kept talking. "And he's master Roshi," he said as he pointed to the one rubbing his head after he had his wig yanked off, "just like the one from here."

"MASTER ROSHI IS JACKIE CHUNG!" Goku shouted in shocked disbelief.

"Great Goku it only took you thirty years to figure that out," Bulma said in resigned incredulity."

"Forget that," she continued, "What did you mean that you are all from alternate realities, how is that even possible, how do you cancel out the standsmore laws of continuity.

"How is a long story," Ifurita introduced herself into the conversation, "and as to the technical aspects, well we have a little time and if you want we can get together and discuss it later. I expect that Goku-san and the others would not be very interested in those more scientific aspects of pan reality travel."

"And as for an explanation of what do we mean that we are all from alternate realities… well just that," she continued. "For every choice there are possibilities and for every possibility there is a universe."

"How many of these other realities are there," Piccolo interjected from his place by the wall across from Vegeta. His concern over security and possible enemies from these other realities are plainly evident.

"It's limitless actually," Ifurita, replied, "some are very much like the world you know, with duplicates of yourselves like the Krillan and Roshi we have here with us. While others are so different that you wouldn't recognize anything."

"YOU AREN'T BUYING THIS CRAP ARE YOU!" Vegeta roared… again. "TELL ME THE TRUTH!" He said as he grabbed Ifurita by the throat.

Vegeta ignores the screams and yells from the others to let her go, a woman who to their senses was so weak that they couldn't even get a reading on her. All except one, Ranma… who calmly began to speak, "Ifurita," she moved her eyes over to Ranma, when he spoke. "I think twenty seconds of combat mode would be alright, don't you?" He said.

With that a glint appeared in her eyes and her tone turned cold and mechanical, "Acknowledged and engaged."

With that her arm flashed out and knocked Vegeta's arm away before she drove a stiff-arm blow into his jaw that knocked him momentarily airborne. Before he could move more than a couple of feet off the ground she jumped up and delivered a floating round house kick to the back of his head sending him into the floor.

Vegeta was stunned that this little slip of nothing girl was beating on him, but before he could get his bearings she was on him again. She kneed him in the face and grabbed him in an arm bar maneuver that held him face down on the ground.

'Never,' Vegeta thought, 'Never again,' his thoughts returning to when android 18 humiliated him and broke his arm, years ago. 'NEVER AGAIN,' his thoughts raged and he powered up with a roar as he flipped her to the ground. But she twisted around and landed on her feet with a smirk, Vegeta was quickly restrained by Goku and the others.

* * *

"How, How, How," the Krillan of this universe stuttered in shock over seeing a little slip of nothing woman wail on Vegeta. 

"CAUSE SHE'S A #&ING ANDROID, YOU IDIOT," Vegeta screamed in rage from his place being restrained by Goku and the others.

All movement freezes in the room at this statement, their eyes track toward the pale woman in her sundress. They watch as she straightens her dress and dusts it off from where it had gotten mussed. She picked up her sun hat from where it had fallen on the floor, she looked up and smiled, "Vegeta is quite correct."

All the fighters released Vegeta and subtlety moved in front of all the non-combatants to protect them.

Ifurita smiled sweetly and non threateningly, "I am an Android," she said, "my apologies, I haven't introduced myself. My name is Ifurita, it's a pleasure to make your acquaintance," she finished with a gracious bow.

All of the Z-Senshi are kind of frozen in shock, here is what they thought was an enemy, but what kind enemy politely introduces themselves in such a manner.

Android # 18 broke the impasse, she moved her daughter Marron behind her husband and took a couple of steps forward. "So, were you created by Doctor Gero as well," she asked in her typically emotionless manner, though an edge of leery curiosity tinges her voice.

"Oh no," Ifurita giggled, "I'm much more advanced than something he could have created."

"Oh! No offense was intended," she added on seeing the huffy expression that appeared on #18's face.

"No I and the others of my kind were created in another reality on a world called El-Hazard. We were used as terrible weapons in a horrific war where we had no control over our actions. In the end that civilization fell and I was sealed away for the protection of what was left. Thousands of years passed until a young man awakened me with a kind and noble heart named Makoto. But unfortunately his enemy gained control of me and used me against Makoto's friend's people."

"Makoto had a special power, he could mentally connect to machines, he… saw… my soul and he… reached in… and freed me," she mumbled.

"Those enemies were defeated using a giant satellite from the old civilization, it was called the eye of god. A weapon that creates and manipulates cross-dimensional apertures, but another group sabotaged it to go haywire."

She looked at the listening fighters and continued her story, "one of my abilities is to be able to copy any notable technique of mechanical based energy signature."

"WOW," Bulma and Gohan interjected in unison at this.

"Yes WOW," Ifurita said with a smile at the two, she realized that they were the only ones who really understood exactly what that entailed.

She continued her story, "I was low on power but I knew what I had to do. To stop the rampaging device I used my abilities, I merged with the eye and shut it down. But in the process I was shunted to another reality, there I slept for another 10,000 years till I was awakened by my love, Makoto.

"You see Makoto wasn't from El-Hazard, he was from the same world, Earth, as Ranma here," she said with a nod at Ranma. And I… I was the one who sent him and his friends to El-Hazard in the first place, completing the circle of causality.

"Oh this is just so stupid," Vegeta interrupted in exasperation.

"If you would just let me finish, I believe things would be made clear," Ifurita said with exasperation at the Sayia-jin prince's attitude.

"All I hear is blah, blah, true love, blah, blah, blah," the prince said to her mockingly. "Look this is obviously a trick of some kind, and a stupid one at that," he said to the others, "lets just kill them and be done with it, I hungry and am tired of this idiocy."

"Now look here, I'm sorry for pushing your buttons earlier," Ranma said, "it's a bad habit I've had since I was a kid. But you don't have to worry about us; we aren't even planning on staying here for long we're just passing through this reality on our way to our destination. Me and the Vegeta back home were always arguing back and forth over everything, and its hard to separate people that you know from those that don't know you when you're traversing realities like we've been doing."

He looked intently at the Sayia-jin prince and continued, "look we're just being honest here, and if you don't want to believe us… well that's your problem. You know Krillan and my strength and well Master Roshi's good an all but hardly a world shaking threat, unless you're a dirty magazine that is," he said with a chuckle. "And as for Ifurita," he said looking at her, he saw her nod of permission and he continued, "well her systems are kind of damaged right now, that's one of the things we are hoping to fix when we get back to Makoto. She's operating on really low power and most of her combat systems are off line or jury rigged to let her do the little bit you saw."

He sees their listening and sees he's getting through to them so he continued; "look as much as I hate to admit it I have to agree with Vegeta on something."

He grinned at all their shocked looks, even Vegeta looked stunned, "I'm starving too, lets get something to eat, we can talk about all this there, okay?"

Grumbles fill the air from stomachs of all of those with Sayia-jin blood, the grumbles were even louder than the face faults from Ranma's comments, "OH YEAH, that's a GREAT idea," Goku yelled happily as he rubbed his stomach.

Bulma sighed in exasperation, "okay guys, I know a place near here, lets go," she smiled.

"And it'll be my treat," Ranma smiled as all the humans stopped and stared at him. "Uh? Do you know, how much Sayian's eat?" The Krillan of this world said in stunned shock.

"Oh yeah," Ranma grinned, "we have a ton of Zeni with us and its next to useless on my home world, so I figure what the heck."

"OH YEAH," Goku grinned as he rubbed his hand together in glee.

* * *

"If I hadn't seen it I wouldn't have believed it," Videl said in a stunned tone. 

The other human's around the big table just nodded their heads in unison. Their one or two plates had been removed some time ago after they had finished, and as usual those of Sayia-jin blood were still going strong, eating plate after plate, bowl after bowl. But what wasn't usual was the fact that Ranma had a nice little collection of plates and bowls in front of him as well. While it was nowhere near as big or as expansive as the Sayian's portions it was pretty impressive.

"Ranma has always been a big eater," the master Roshi of Ranma's world said with a smile as he talked with his counterpart of this world.

"You sure he don't have any Saiyan blood?" Yamcha asked Ranma's Krillan, who was seated next to him.

"HAH, no he's only human," Krillan, said with a smile.

"Woo," the man in question said as he pushed his last plate away from him, as the Sayian's kept on going. "Yeah," he said with a smile, "I burn a lot of calories, and have a really high metabolism so I can keep up with them in their eating for a while but no where near the amount they can pack away."

"Thank you for the meal," Chi-chi said with politeness, "having someone else feed that vacuum of a husband of mine is a welcome treat. And I thank you for convincing him of not going off on some foolhardy crusade again."

"It's nothing," Ranma demurred.

"I would like to know how you copied my voice though," she asked.

"Well as I said before," the man in question began, "the way we travel has certain side affects. The energies in harnessed by Ifurita in cross dimensional travel has the affect of imprinting one unique… I guess you could call it a 'Super Power' on those who travel using it. Her Makoto gained his machine mind power thingy his best friend got the power to see through all illusions while his schoolteacher got some kind of super strength."

"So you got the power of super impersonation/ventriloquism," Trunks said between bites.

"I guess you could call it that," Ranma nodded as he popped a small bite of bread into his mouth.

"So what power did the two of you get," Bulma asked the other two dimensional travelers.

"Uhm well," Krillan said with a blush as Roshi said, "well you see." They looked at each other and kind of blushed, "we haven't exactly figured it out yet," Krillan said with an embarrassed grimace.

"How is that possible anyway," Android 18 asked. "Well its not like growing wings or something," the blonde haired Krillan with a nose said. "It could be something mental like seeing through illusions is, we'll find out what it is eventually."

"You never finished your story Ifurita," Bulma asked the pale android woman who sat across from her. "How did Ranma here come into thing?" She said with a nod at the man in question, she wasn't sure if she believed them yet but she had decided to give them the benefit of a doubt… for now.

"Well I sort of fell into a very tender moment," Ranma interjected with a grin from his seat on the other side of the table. At their quizzical expressions Ifurita began her tale again from her place between Ranma and Android 18.

"I had sent my Makoto and his friends across time and space to El-Hazard, so that he could free me in the first place. But the story didn't end there; after I had left El-Hazard Makoto tried his hardest to figure out a way to use the eye of god to come after me. And after a few years and several adventures he managed discover how to use my power key staff that I had left behind as a key for using the eye."

She looked around at the twenty or so people at the massive table in the private dinning room in the restaurant Bulma had taken them too. Some of them believed her she could tell that, while others still were not convened, so she did all that she could, she kept telling their tale.

"I had stumbled away from the place where I had slept for so long, outside I leaned against a fence as my power finally started to die completely. As the sun began to rise he appeared before me," she blushed and looked down at the table her hands began fiddling with a chopstick, in her nervousness.

"He got to me just minutes after I had sent him away, after our reunion he got out the power key staff he had brought with him. I need that to recharge," she explained to gathered Z-Senshi, "he began to recharge me with it but in the middle of my recharge we were interrupted by Ranma here," she indicated Ranma who nodded sheepishly. "I upset my then fiancé… she kind of, hit me several miles away with a mallet," Ranma said with a grimace of remembered pain.

"HAH!" Vegeta barked in laughter, Ranma just cast a glare at the prince.

On hearing of how Ranma had his impromptu flight all the women got interested looks on their faces. The significant others of the women failed to hide their grimaces at how interested the women were in tales of mallets.

Ifurita smiled and took over the explanation to the others, "Ranma crashed right into us and cracked the containment field around my power staff. The area was highly sensitized to cross-dimensional travel due to Makoto's travel from El-Hazard. The residual energies of his travel mixed with the uncontrolled energy that leaked from my staff and caused a Pan-Dimensional Explosion."

"My own nature protected me from it while Makoto's recent travel had sheathed him a protective aura of sorts," she continued with a glance at Ranma. "Ranma on the other hand… didn't have that protection, now we don't know why but for some reason he didn't end up in El-Hazard, something… reflected him away from going there out into the unknown regions of the multi-verse. He ended up on a world just like this one… only more than thirty years in the past.

* * *

Bra sighed as she listened to the romantic tale being told by the pale android woman. She Marron and Pan were seated at a small table off to the side. "Isn't it romantic," she said breathily as she leaned over to whisper to Pan. 

"Uh, I donno," the black haired girl said with a shrug, "their could a been some more fights or stuff." Then she began looking for any food left behind on the volumeus plates and bowls she had finished.

"You are so immature," the little Saiya-jin princess said with a disgusted smile, as she listened in on the grown ups discussion.

* * *

Meanwhile, Goku looked confused and commented hesitantly, "uh… I don't remember ever meeting you before?" 

Ranma nodded and looked over at him from his place at the other end of the table, "that's because it was in an alternate reality."

"Oh I see," Goku said with a grin, as he seemed to understand. Everyone went back to looking at Ifurita as she prepared to start her tale again, only she was interrupted by Goku, who once again looked confused.

In fact he raised his hand like if he was in school or something, much to the amusement of some of his compatriots. Ranma sighed good-naturedly and asked, "Yes Goku?"

"Uhm… I don't understand," the Saiya-jin confused.

"OH GEEZE," Vegeta groaned in disgust at Goku's apparent idiocy.

"What don't you understand," Ranma said with great patience.

"Uh, well Ifurita said we met when I was a kid and then you said I couldn't remember because it's an alternate reality," Goku explains the nature of his confusion.

"That's right," Ranma nodded.

"Okay," Goku said like he understood, everyone began to turn back to the discussion but then he asked, "Okay so… what's an alternate reality?"

Face faults abound in the room, "I mean everyone's been talking about it all night but I don't understand what all the hoopla is about, what is it?" Goku said with a confused explanation.

Vegeta stood up and roared, "you stupid lame brain…" he began only for Bulma to put her arm out to silence him. "Goku," she said, "the theory goes," she paused at this and looked the travelers, "well I guess it's more than just a theory. Well for every choice you make a new reality is created until you have an infinite number of realities, you see?"

Goku leaned his head to the side and scrunched up his nose, as he seemed to reflect on this for a moment, "no idea," he exclaimed with a sunny smile.

"Ohhh," Chi-chi groaned in exasperation, "let me try."

And try she did, and when that didn't work Gohan took a shot, nothing they tried seemed to get through to him. Vegeta seemed to get angrier and angrier and just before he exploded Ranma stood up from his seat and walked over to where Goku was seated at the end of the table.

"Goku," he said as Goku turned his chair toward Ranma who had crouched down in front of him and was looking him in eye. "Let me try to explain it to you," he said with a cheeky grin.

He stood up and grabbed an empty plate from in front of Goku he placed several items on it, a spring roll, some noodles and a few other assorted items, he placed this in front of Goku. "Okay Goku look at this plate," when he did Ranma continued, "imagine that this plate is the whole universe and that all of the things on it are everything in it. This bit of chicken lets say is New Namek and that this strawberry here is earth and these other things are other planets, do you understand?"

"Uh," Goku nodded with a grin as he paid attention to the food and by association the story.

"Okay," Ranma continued as he took another plate and placed the exact same things on it at as were on the first plate except for a peach pit some Sayian had left on the table. He placed that plate next to the first, "now Goku what's different between these two plates?"

"Uhhh, this one has an old peach pit on it?" Goku answered in hopeful expectancy as if he expected to be wrong. When Ranma said he was right he grinned so happily that Ranma grinned back and said he did good. "Now Goku if this first plate we're pretending is the universe, we'll also pretend that this second plate is whole different universe and its just like the one you know except that this one has this peach pit," Ranma grinned evilly at the confused Vegeta at this point.

"Lets pretend that in this second universe the planet Vegeta wasn't destroyed that's what the planet Vegeta is a big old peach pit," Ranma kept on grinning as he heard Vegeta grumble angrily.

"So…" Goku answered oblivious to the by play between Ranma and Vegeta, "what you're saying is that." He paused and looked back and forth between the two plates, parts of his brain not used for anything but eating getting more use than ever. "There are two… separate universes, that this is an 'alternate reality,'" Goku grinned up at Ranma with a childish grin seemingly very pleased.

"YOU GOT IT," Ranma grinned and threw his arms around Goku in a hug, he was so excited he seemed to forget that this wasn't his Goku.

And Goku was pretty shocked himself, here he was with this virtual… stranger, and he was hugging him. His shock really grew when the forty something year old man suddenly became a short 'cough' HEALTHY 'cough' redheaded teenager. "I've always told you that you can do anything," the man turned woman pulled back and looked Goku in the eye, "you are a smart man, you can do anything you want."

Goku was stunned, here he was a grandfather and this is the very first time anyone had told him he was smart. He didn't know what to say or do he just looked into her smiling eyes and he felt incredibly emotional, "thank you," he managed to choke out.

"Hey that's what's big sisters are for, you know?" she said with a loving grin.

"Big Sister?" Goku questioned.

"Of course," she said with a tilt of her head in confusion at his question. "What's wrong anyway, we went over all of this a long time ago?"

"…?" The man being questioned just looked back at her in stunned silence.

"Don't you remember?" She said with a cute frown. "Did you hit your head again or something?" she commented as she ran her hand through his hair, as she checked for any injuries.

"A hit on the head might help him," Vegeta interjected sarcastically.

"Be quiet you, you, you BROOM-HEADED BAKA," she shouted back. "My little brother Goku is Very smart," she said to the short man she had never seen before.

The Krillan not native to this universe just shook his head, "Akane-chan," he muttered in a melancholy tone at her appearance. After he heard her cheesy reply to Vegeta he muttered to his master Roshi, "she still has no ability at comebacks or put downs."

Roshi nodded his head sagely, "she has to sweet a nature to be any good at it," he said to Krillan before he returned his attention to the situation and both of them wondered if they needed to intervene, and what Ranma's female persona's reappearance again portended.

"WHAT DID YOU CALL ME YOU LITTLE &(#," Vegeta roared… again.

Several of Vegeta's allies of this universe began to chuckle if not outright laugh at the cute little put down on the Sayia-jin prince.

"Goku is very smart, he just needs special teaching due to his brain damage when he was a small child," she said in a stern tone of voice as she marched over to Vegeta. And even though he was not a tall man he was still about half a foot taller than the petite young woman, so he looked down on the angry and frowning face.

"Oh Really," he said snidely.

"Yes he is," she answered back, "I took several classes on dealing with children with disabilities and with problems learning. And because of that Goku not only graduated from Orange Star high school, he did so in the top third of his class."

This statement left the Z-senshi of this universe stunned at the prospect of this, in fact if Vegeta put on a frilly pink dress and skipped off to pick flowers in a meadow, they could not be more stunned.

When Vegeta heard this he took a step back in confusion, a frown on his face, "what…" he said in confusion at the odd statements from the man turned woman.

"Akane-chan?" Krillan called out at this point before anyone got more confused.

"Krillan?" she said when she turned to him, "I… saw you… earlier, at some kind of… tournament, how did you get a nose… what's going on?" she asked in confusion and a little evident fear at her sudden displacement in her eyes.

"Akane-chan?" he called out again as he got near her and placed a hand on her shoulder. "What's going on, I didn't think you could ever… you know… come out again. Not after what happened… you know, before?"

"Before?" she said confused as she put a hand to her head as if in pain, "I… I… don't know what's going… going… on," as she muttered this she fell into Krillan's arms as she passed out.

Moments later her eyes opened again only this time the look in their depths was different, "it happened again, didn't it?" Ranma questioned as he stood up with Krillan's help and with a frown of concentration he shifted himself back to male form.

Krillan just looked gravely up at his long time friend and nodded gravely.

"$#&>," Ranma cursed uncharacteristically in depression.

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To be continued: 

In Only Human: Chapter 14

A scene from chapter 14

"Yeah, in our reality Goku and Bulma got married," Ranma, said nonchalantly with a smirk.

"KAKKAROOOTTTTT!" Vegeta roared, "YOU AND MY WIFE! YOU… ARE… A… DEAD MAN!" With this Vegeta's power exploded in a torrent of energy as he flew at Goku with all of his strength.

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Endnotes: 

Soooo once again they still haven't moved on yet, This chapter just kept getting longer and longer so I decided to break it up so you guys can get an update sooner. BUT let me tell you that the next chapter will be the last one in this particular dimension… for sure. At the end of the next chapter they will move on to Ranma's home universe, I've been waiting for several years to be able to write that bit, I can't wait.

On that note this one was done fairly quickly for me lately, all of the great reviews and comments you have made have helped fuel my fire for writing.

In that vein here is a new section where I respond to those reviews.

Silverscale – thanks for understanding, hope this one wasn't so long a wait.

Gate – Yep as you can see this story is continuing, sorry I couldn't update 'Sundered' yet for you. But cause you asked me so nice I am moving it up on the list of things to work on.

Ebona Nite – Thanks for the compliment, and your right Ranma DBZ fics where he's not a Sayian are few and far between.

Happosai-sama – Well I'm glad to have you hooked and hope you like where things are going. Right now Ranma is a little fish in a big pond of DBZ but in his home universe he will be a big fish in a little pond. Will he be able to cope with that. Ranma is in his early forties now. And as for love interests… well he hasn't been dateless for twenty some years lets just say that. Also there is something I like to term 'The Nature of Things' in the DBZ universe events follow a typical pattern and in the Ranma universe another pattern. One thing the Ranma universe is known for; it's multiple relationship issues. And once Ranma gets back well those patterns will show up again although in the same way they did when he was a teenager. So let's just say things won't go as he hoped they would. Thanks.

Fallendrgn – here you go, hope you like it.

Also while I have some ideas as to the powers that Krillan and Roshi will acuire from transit using the eye of god power. I'm interested in if you all have any idea's, Let me know, okay?

Also a special thanks to my pre-readers Skunktrain and Taurock and of course Yonkokoro for all of their good ideas and work.

Thanks again, later.

Signed: Verse12


	19. Chapter 14: Cool Down Part 2

Darkness filled everything, Akane-Son floated in a void of nothingness, her mind disjointed and foggy. "Wha?" She questioned, as she appeared to wake up and peer about in the void, in a confused manner. 

"Where am I? What is this place?" She said to herself.

"I remember... being in a... restaurant... I was helping Goku with... something?" she mumbled. "Their was a short guy with spiky hair, and... Krillan with blond hair and a nose? Am I dreaming?" she asked herself.

She looked down at herself for the first time only to scream out in mortification as she realized that she was without a stitch of clothing. After a few minutes of trying to cover herself with her hands and failing miserably she gave up, as she was all alone in this nothingness. "I have to be dreaming," she muttered with a shake of her head, "I mean come on I'm floating naked in a black void, I hope I'm dreaming cause if I'm not I'm in a world of trouble."

"Lets see," she mumbled and scrunched up her nose cutely in intense concentration, only to smile as an orange gi popped into being around her. "OH YEAH!" she shouted in girlish glee, "Defiantly a dream, or something like that anyway," she finished with a smile.

'Now, what do I remember...' she thought, 'everything recently seems so vague and disjointed, I don't really understand it mostly flashes of things.'

"That thing at a tournament and then in that restaurant are pretty clear," the red headed girl said to herself. "It was confusing but clear," she mumbled, "but before that... the clearest thing I can remember is..." she frowned in confusion before her eyes popped open in shock and fear, "KURUIJINI!" she blurted out and looked around as if expecting him to appear at the mentioning of his name.

She remembered now, how Kuruijini came about and took over her and Ranma's body, their dark side. His plan to dominate the worlds, and the battle that took place when she and Ranma found each other and attacked him together from the inside as Goku attacked from the outside. How she volunteered to stay, locked inside of their mind, holding the line in a constant struggle to keep Kuruijini at bay as Ranma took over the body that was his by right.

"Ranma wasn't happy with that," she mumbled, "stupid chauvinistic baka," she smiled. "But how did I end up here... and where is Kuru-baka, if I'm not keeping him away from control... then where is he?"

A cold feeling grew in her chest at the thought, "Ranma, I hope your okay," she mumbled in worry for the both of them.

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Only Human

By Verse12

Verse12 (AT) Hotmail (DOT) Com

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Disclaimer:

I do not own these characters nor do I claim too, this is a simple fan based homage. Their creators and the companies they work for and with own the characters and all that pertains to them. (I.E. Rumiko Takahashi, Viz, Shougakukan, Pioneer LDC, Hiroki Hayashi, Ryoe Tsukimura, Akira Toriyama, Marvel Comics, DC Comics, Artmic, Youmex, Bandai, C2) This is just fans of the shows expressing their love for it for fun, no profit is involved or expected thank you.

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Chapter 14

Ranma & Ifurita's Excellent Adventure Special

Or

Cool Down Part Two

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Back in the real world Ranma stood up and paced a bit in anxious tension, in what little space he had in the crowded private dining room in the restaurant. Just when Vegeta was about to explode Ranma sighed and began his explanation, "I've gotta curse, when I was a teenager back in my home universe. When I was splashed with cold water I turned into a girl."

"HAH," Vegeta barked in laughter, "A part time Onna," he chortled.

"Hot water reversed it," Ranma grit out coldly at Vegeta.

"When I ended up in that other dimension," he nodded to the Krillan he has been traveling with. "I was in my girl form. The trip some how scrambled my memories somehow or something, and somehow caused some kind of amnesia. I was found in a forest by a young boy, with a tail, named Goku."

Everyone looked on as Ranma related his tale of what could have been. "That Goku took me to grandpa Gohan, he... Adopted me and we became a family. I took the name Son Akane, Akane was the name of my Fiancé, and it was the only thing I could remember, so we assumed it was actually my name."

"Time passed, I had amnesia for about five years and though during that time I learned I could change genders, I didn't know what form was mine though."

"That's got to be rough," Videl, said in sympathy.

"Tell me about it," Ranma smiled, "A product of five years as a woman and a badly phrased wish on the dragonball's ended up driving me a little nuts. I developed something like multiple personality disorder. My dark side went around trying to take over the world," he shrugged. "It wasn't easy to fix but in the end Akane... My female persona, locked herself away deep within me... within... us, holding my dark side at bay. She is... protecting me, at the cost to her continued life." He paused in a moment of painful reflection. So now that she's suddenly started to make appearance's again..."

"You're worried that your darker half will as well?" Piccolo questioned.

"Exactly," Ranma nodded.

"Bah," Vegeta scoffed, "in a real fight you or your 'darker' half doesn't have a chance."

"Yeah thanks," Ranma said drolly.

"While you were fighting I did notice that your Ki was defiantly doing some unusual things," Piccolo added, "Your Ki was splitting off and leaking into unusual patterns inside your body."

"It's like you have several separate pools of Ki that are separate yet connected," Dende confirmed.

"$#!&" Ranma cursed and looked over at his Krillan and Roshi and sighed. "I think I can feel them getting stronger," he said, "Plus I'm worried that the year we just spent as other people will give me yet another personality."

Ranma just sighed and shook his head, "Well... We'll just have to deal with this as it develops. Whatever happens it won't be the same, I have to much control over myself now, and now that I know what is going on I should be able to keep the status quo."

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Everyone kind of quieted down at this and just looked at each other uncomfortably. "Uhm," Gohan interjected, and when everyone looked at him he changed the subject and asked Ranma a question. "You, or rather your 'other' self said something about dad graduating from orange star high?"

"What?" Ranma asked in an absent minded tone of voice. "Oh, yeah... after he won the Budokai I felt it was important that he get not only an education but to socialize with kids his age. And maybe learn to love something outside of fighting and food."

"He was about sixteen or seventeen at the time so between the tutoring I had been giving him over the years and Bulma and Chi-chi giving him a crash course he passed the placement test so he could join in his senior year."

"Wait a second," the Chi-chi of this universe cut in, " Goku and I got married after he won the Budokai?"

Ranma coughed uncomfortably, "yes well that was my doing, I had a lot of bad dealings with arranged marriages when I was younger and as My Goku's legal guardian... I couldn't let him get married at that young of an age."

"And any arranged marriages had to be approved by me before they became binding. So I sort of made an agreement that if the Chi-chi in my universe wanted to marry Goku she had to win him the old fashioned way. Not by letting him think that marriage was something to eat."

"Is that what you did?" Gohan asked in confused wonderment as he looked at his mother.

"That's... That's not important," Chi-chi said in a stuttered exclamation, her cheeks flaming in embarrassment.

"So what happened next," Goten queried as he and everyone at the table was looking Ranma to continue his tale.

"He started classes," Ranma continued, "He had a little trouble finding an elective to take. But then we remembered a cheap little camera I had gotten Goku years before, for Christmas. So he chose to take photography as his elective class, and then..."

"Photography?" several people at the table exclaimed cutting off what Ranma had been about to say next.

"What a waste of time that is," Vegeta scoffed.

"Actually," Ranma said slyly as he grabbed a capsule out of his bag and activated it.

When the smoke cleared four books sat there. Ranma picked them up and smiled at the group, "My Goku did pretty good he mainly did his photography as a hobby. Most of his pictures were of landscapes after most of his battles. But he made enough to keep feed, in fact he pulled in as much Zeni as a good doctor or lawyer would."

At this stunned statement he handed out the four different books to those at the table. The books were books of photography and the images were breathtakingly beautiful. But the stunning thing was that author's name was listed as Son-Goku.

"NO WAY!" Everyone but Goku exclaimed in shock.

Goku was oddly reflective, he was not someone who was ever broody or introspective but all these talks about things that could have been were getting to him. These books were the final straw, he realized he had been missing something his whole life... he realized he wanted more from life.

Everyone was hunched over the various books that the other Goku had published and talking in hushed tones. Even Vegeta was peaking surreptitiously over at the books as he tried to pretend he wasn't. Everyone stopped and looked over at Goku as he spoke up with a look on his face not seen outside of life and death battle, "do you have any pictures of him?" He asked Ranma.

Ranma looked deep into Goku's eyes and nodded silently. Without a word he opened his bag and took out a small photo album and handed it to the third class Sayia-jin warrior.

Goku thumbed through the album silently as everyone watched him with bated breath. On the last page he turned the album sideways for what was obviously a landscape style photo of many people.

They looked so much like his friends and family... but different to, he thought.

Everyone waited for Goku to say something as he looked at the photos but when he frowned and began to look intently at the last page, some kind of group shot, Ranma voiced the question on everyone's mind. "What's wrong Goku?"

"This group shot I see me and Gohan and the others... but where's Chi-chi?"

"Ahhh..." Ranma trailed off nervously and glanced at the Roshi and Krillan with him. They of course were no help and looked in every direction but at him and Goku.

"Well actually, that is, at that time..." he hemmed and hawed.

"WHAT!" Chi-chi barked in announced.

"At that time we had a falling out with Chi-chi, in fact it's because of her that Krillan and Roshi-sensei are stuck with us."

"WHAT!" everyone asked, well almost everyone, Vegeta and Piccolo didn't seem to care.

"What do you mean by falling out?" Chi-chi growled out menacingly.

"Well, while Goku was going to High School Bulma invited us to stay with her at Capsule Corp. She helped Goku study and stuff he actually with her help graduated in the top third of the class."

At Chi-chi's growl Ranma moved on quickly, "Anyway, one thing lead to another and Bulma and Goku fell in love, got married and had Gohan. Chi-chi went a little nuts and vowed revenge, the end," he finished in a rush and waited for the inevitable explosion.

"KAKKAROOOTTTTT!" Vegeta roared, showing he had been listening, "YOU AND MY WIFE! YOU... ARE... A... DEAD MAN!" With this Vegeta's power exploded in a torrent of energy as he flew at Goku with all of his strength.

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Moments later most of the men and little Pan who wanted to see the fight had flown out the hole in the roof after Goku and Vegeta.

The two Roshi's of course stayed and grinned lecherously to each other at being left alone with all the pretty ladies.

Bulma sighed and exclaimed to the other women present, "Let's let the boys settle their testosterone issues themselves."

The blue haired scientist looked over to Chi-chi whose face was still marred by a frown of anger? Or was it something else. "Chi-chi you KNOW me and Goku would NEVER..." she trailed off sincerely.

"Of course," Chi-chi said with a shake of her head as she put on a smile. "He wouldn't dare..." she trailed off with a chilling tone of voice that left the other women present shivering in fear.

"ANYWAY," Ifurita cut in so as to dispel some of the tension in the air. "You all know that what is true in one reality isn't necessarily true in another."

The others nodded in understanding of this point and things settled down into a semi-tense quiet.

They sipped coffee or tea for several minutes, no one evidently worried about Goku and Vegeta. The quiet continued until Android 18 noticed Ifurita glancing at her daughter several times.

The blond Android woman glanced at the pale android quizzically. "I'm sorry," Ifurita, responded to the unspoken question, when it was obvious that she was noticed in her glances. "She's very beautiful," Ifurita complimented the younger Android with a wistful smile.

"Thank you," was 18s questioning reply.

"It's just that in my... creation...reproductive organs were deemed... Unnecessary and they places they went were used for... Other functions," Ifurita explained in a quiet voice.

Soothing and comforting exclamations were the response when the other women heard this. Ifurita took solace in the understandings of these women around her and her heart was lifted.

It was at this point that the boys returned Vegeta first in a bruise on his right eye and a slight cut on his lip. His attitude could be described as stormy at best.

Goku was not far behind him as well as the others Goku looked slightly worse than Vegeta with a black eye and large bruise on his left cheek.

"VEGETA," Bulma roared standing up and getting up in his face. "WHAT IN THE WORLD DO YOU THINK YOU WERE DOING!" "HUH?" she questioned. "THAT WAS ANOUTHER REALITY NOTHING LIKE THAT HAPPENED HERE!"

"OF COURSE I KNOW THAT WOMAN," Vegeta roared back. "IT WAS THE PRINCEAPLE OF THE THING ALRIGHT," and as if that was explanation enough he walked past his fuming wife and sat down grabbing a piece of left over cake as he sat.

Pan-chan could be heard loudly complaining to anyone she could, that it wasn't a real fight so her Grandpa wasn't really beat by Vegeta.

A momentary flash hit Ifurita as she realized that everything was in proper alignment for the final jump and she had recuperated long enough. If they were going to get Ranma home on the next reality jump then they needed to be going soon.

So it was with a melancholy sigh she stood up with her announcement that they need to be saying goodbye to their new friends.

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A half an hour later they all gathered in a nearby park for the transition. Goodbyes were said and promises to visit if possible. An aide of Bulma's arrived with a small capsule case just in time. Bulma said it was a gift for a glimpse of what could have been. And for maybe giving her best friend a chance at finding something else in his life.

"The capsules you have are almost twenty years older than the things we have now," Bulma said with a smile.

As this was going on Ranma dug around in his pack looking for something. Several items were placed next to him as he rooted around.

One little box happens to catch Ifurita's eye though. "I was wondering where that went," she murmured.

She picked it up with a little smile. "What's that," Bra-chan said, somehow homing in on the jewelry case.

"Oh the other Dende gave this to me when we left. He said it was given to him by his superiors to help me in the future," The pale Android said to the little girl with a smile. She opened the box showing the two identical sets of earrings inside, "I don't know what they are supposed to do. But it is nice to get a present from someone."

"I know these," Bra said with a big smile. "I saw a picture of these Daddy and Kakkarot used these to merge to fight Buu."

Bulma had caught that last bit as she was coming over to lasso her wayward daughter. At the confused look on Ifurita's face Bulma looked at her with a resolved look. "I think I need to tell you something before you leave. It could help deal with some things that the other Bulma and family may face in their future."

"O... kay," Ifurita answered with a frown as Bulma pulled her aside so she could whisper a few things that could help deal with a little problem that went by the name of Majin Buu.

While Ranma was searching and Ifurita was learning of Buu and Babbidi, Krillan took the opportunity to let his counterpart know that he should defiantly use the Dragonballs to get himself a nose. "Food is SO much better with a nose," he said with a grin.

"Aha!" Ranma shouted out triumphantly. At the inquisitive looks he got he held up a little box about four by four by two with two straps that hung from the sides. "Just a little something I picked up a couple of realities ago."

"I still think that that is a cruel trick to play on them," Ifurita said with a frown as she rejoined the group with Bulma trailing behind her.

"I just want to see what people's true feelings for me are," Ranma replied with a shrug. "Plus it's a pretty good prank on everyone who wanted to use me when I was a kid."

"Krillan you and Roshi-sensei know what I want you to do right?" The once and future resident of Nerima asked his two guy friends.

Ranma buckles the box onto his upper left forearm and grinned. "It's great to meet you all and I hope we can get together someday," he said with a smile at the Briefs, the Sons, the Chestnuts and all their friends.

Goku smiled with a strange light and he approached Ranma and grasped his hand in one hand and gave him a brief one armed guy hug with the other hand. "Thank you," Goku said with a grin, "I can't even explain how much I mean that."

"It's okay," Ranma smiled broadly as he steeped away from Goku back toward Ifurita Krillan and Roshi. "That's what families for."

A murmured goodbye and a loud 'POP' sound the travelers were gone.

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High above Nerima a loud 'POP' sounded as the four travelers arrived. "I'll head on down to the dojo," Ifurita said with a grimace. "I still don't like this, but I kind of see your point, just don't take to long. I need to see Makoto and see if he can help me."

"I understand," Ranma nodded, "Just kind of give me an intro and then go check on Makoto. We'll be okay and so will you guys."

And with that Ifurita floated down toward the dojo in the distance.

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To be continued: In Only Human: Interlude Five

A scene from Interlude Five

"What is that supposed to do," the monster asked with an evil grin of her own.

"Oh, that allows me to do this," Miz responded with smile.

The monster looked confused for a moment when the forgotten girl screamed loudly and pointed behind it.

The clawed thing whirled around to see only water in front of her face, she looked up and up and up near the top of the vaulted ceilings a monstrous face formed of water roared at her.

"#$!&," The much smaller thing cursed.

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Endnotes:

I'm sooooo sorry it's been so long but I have been writing some it's just been slooowww going. This is not been preread but I have not heard back from my prereaders in quite some time. No offense it has been a LONG time I appreciate all the work they did in the past.

Oh and I already have the next part finished I'll update that soon.

Thanks again, later.

Signed: Verse12


	20. Interlude Five: Dark Murmurings

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Only Human

By Verse12

Verse12 (at) hotmail (dot) com

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Disclaimer:

By do not own these characters nor do I claim too, this is a simple fan based homage. Their creators and the companies they work for and with own the characters and all that pertains to them. (I.E. Rumiko Takahashi, Viz, Shougakukan, Pioneer LDC, Hiroki Hayashi, Ryoe Tsukimura, Akira Toriyama, Naoko Takeuchi, Toei Animation, DiC) This is just fans of the shows expressing their love for it for fun, no profit is involved or expected thank you.

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Interlude Five

Dark Murmurings

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Hours after Big Sister Interlude one

She ran stumbling through the tangled undergrowth of the forest, the trees gripped at her as if to try and hold her back. At her side four small white feet desperately tried to keep pace with her through lush woods. The back of the white cat was speckled with blood that dripped from the girl's mangled left arm that hung limply above him.

"KEEP RUNNING MINAKO!" Artemis panted in desperation to his young charge.

"So…so, tired," Minako Aino wheezed through the stumbling gait of her hopeless flight.

Her mind was filled with pain and fear, she felt like she had been running forever, all of the weapons her mentor Artemis had given her had been lost. And even when she had used them they had been useless against the four dark generals that pursued her. And the new powers that she felt were so potent were in fact worthless against them.

She had come to china undercover to deal with a dark agency plot, only to find out that her hero Kaito Ace was in fact Danburite of the dark kingdom. In their final battle she had awaked as a full sailor senshi. She knew her mission and knew what she had to do, but she never had the chance to even begin it. And if what the dark general Zoicite had told her was the truth… she would never find the allies she had been expecting to… if he was telling the truth… they were all already dead.

She had been fleeing them ever since, all across the countryside of china since they had first appeared in the airport as she had been waiting for her flight home. 'Home' she choked on the thought, she was only thirteen and she knew she was never going to see her parents again never see her friends again. She would never have a date or a true boyfriend, never do any of the million's of things she wanted to do with her life.

She knew that she was going to die tonight.

She had escaped several times in the last few days but with her injuries mounting she knew she wouldn't be able to escape again. She was glad that Natsuna Oneesan wasn't able to come with her for back up here cause she knew that she wouldn't have been able to save her. She knew that the dark kingdom wanted to take over the world, and she knew that she would not be able to stop them, in fact she knew that they had been toying with her for some time, just to make the sport more fun. Her breathless sobs tore at her burning throat, as she paused to grab Artemis with her good arm and flop bonelessly into a large bush.

"Mina," he questioned in breathlessness.

She got down painfully to her knees and looked her friend in the eyes; her battered and bloody face a mask of pain and agony. "Artemis, we don't have much time," he cut her off with the comment of "I know we need to keep moving."

She didn't listen though and continued her speech with a sad look in her eyes that caused worry to grow larger in his little chest. "Artemis… this is it."

"Wha…" he whispered in pained confusion, a desperate gleam of denial in his little eyes.

"I can't stop them, I can't get away from them and I can't hide from them for long," she whispered in the cool night air of the Chinese forest.

"YES YOU CAN," he blurted out loudly causing her to cover his mouth with her good arm, "shhhh," she shushed him, "don't draw them right here."

He had the sense to look sheepish for a moment before his fear returned, "Mina-chan, I don't know what you have planned here but…don't," he finished in a whisper. "I… believe in you."

A sad and teary look filled her eyes as she looked down on her mentor, "I know you do," she said as she leaned down and gave him a light kiss on his nose. "I can't save the world, or stop the dark generals… but… I can save you," she choked out in stuttering sobs.

"NO I won't leave you," he whispered in a stunned tone of voice.

"I don't have much time before they find me Artemis, so please listen to me." She whispered, as she looked him dead in the eyes, both of them with tears flowing freely down their faces. "You and I both know that the next confrontation will be it for me, and I couldn't face my end knowing that you would be following me. So please…stay here, hidden…. Please… for me."

"I can't," he murmured softly.

"Please, you have to get away." The blonde haired teen said in all seriousness, "you have to get away, I need you to find your way back to Japan. Go to superintendent general Natsuna and tell her what happened, work with her. Try to get help to fight these monsters."

The little cat was looking at the ground at their feet as he began to speak again, "Mina if he was telling the truth… if they are all gone." He looked up at her, a fierce pride in him as he saw his charge and the determined look on her face in the presence of impending doom, "I don't think they can be stopped without all of you."

"I'm trusting you to find a way," she said with blind faith in his abilities, "you can do this… please, for me, do this."

Unable to look in her eyes anymore he looked down before he nodded wordlessly.

"Thank you," she whispered finally causing him to look at her again as he felt her stand up. "I love you Artemis," she said with a look of fierce love and belief in him before she turned and ran away from her best friend and mentor.

He watched her leave him with a dead heart in his little chest, his breath hitching inside as tiny sobs filled the underbrush, "I love you to Mina-chan," he managed to finally say as he watched her form disappear. And he knew that he would never see his beloved Sailor-V ever again.

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Minako Aino aka Sailor-V or Sailor Venus let her tears fall as she ran as far as she could away from Artemis. She knew she had to lead them away from him, so… she ran, she ran for her friend. The sailor soldier crashed ceaselessly through the forests near the Bayankala range of the Xinghai province her ripped and bloody uniform snagged on branches in her flight. For now she didn't try to keep quiet, in fact she made as much noise as she could, hoping to lead them away from her friend and mentor.

Without warning an explosion detonated behind her making her ears ring from the blast. The shockwave flung her with a crash through the forest with the deafening sound of thunder. Venus didn't even stop as she regained her feet as soon as she could and kept moving while she strove to ignore the taunts and laughter of Jadeite and Zoicite behind her. Desperate and with a sudden a frantic reserve of strength she pounded through the forest with blazing speed, despite her injuries drag on her abilities.

She flung herself maddeningly through the trees as she sensed the two dark generals fall behind her and she dared to hope that maybe, just maybe she could escape. She leaped over a fallen tree and through a screen of branches only to see darkness yawn before her, a shear cliff fell away directly before her. Her eyes widened as in a blink of an eye she saw herself soar toward the darkness beyond the cliff, with her good arm reached back, hoping to snag something.

A yelp of pain burst from her lips as she grasped a branch stopping her but dislocated her good arm in the process. Like a dead fish she fell to the ground with a crash just short of the cliff face. Her breath came in hitched gasps as her blood pounded in her ears and her vision swum in a blurry mess.

'Have to move,' she thought as she tried to crawl to her feet. Far below the cliff face she saw only fog, so the ground could be anywhere. Around her trees and brush clung to the cliff edge in a choking tangle, effectively trapping her where she was.

Her heart froze when a mocking laugh arose behind her. Slowly she turned around to be confronted with the sight of all four dark generals floating in the dark night sky, the full moon loomed large directly behind them and cast them in an ominous light.

"Well, Well, Well," Jadeite murmured slyly. "Looks like time's finally up girly."

Franticly Sailor-V's eyes darted about her trapped perch before she glanced over her shoulder to the fog covered darkness beyond the cliff.

"Hahahaha," Zoicite laughed derisively "I think the stupid little thing is thinking about jumping, my friends."

"What and ruin all of the fun I've been looking forward to?" Nephrite said with an evil smirk.

"And with all the fog we wouldn't even have the pleasure of seeing her go splat all over the landscape," Jadeite said with mock disappointment.

"The terror on her face as she fell to her death would be most appealing though," Kunzite cut in for the first time, his white cape billowed and whipped about behind him.

"Always with the fear," Jadeite said with smirk, "I like the blood myself."

"Fear is like a fine wine Jadeite you have to savor it. And the raw fear and desperation the young Senshi is giving off is so delectable." Kunzite gave off a wicked grin as he floated in front of his compatriots, closer to the blonde Sailor Senshi. "And terror must be... cultivated to be fully realized."

Minako gulped audiblely as she realized that this was it she was cut off and had no hope of getting past them. She had only one path open to her and that was almost certain death as well. Though almost certain death was better than for real certain death. She just needed to distract them for a moment just one.

Unaware of her racing thoughts Kunzite continued his taunting. "And we are defiantly going to 'Cultivate' fear and pain in you little miss," the platinum haired General sneered evilly.

With tears streaming down her face Minako looked down at her feet in despair, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath. As she exhaled her resolve seemed to firm and a look of steel seemed to glint deep in her eyes as she looked up at the floating Generals.

Kunzite saw the resolve in her gaze and it gave him pause, his eyes widened and he was forced to swallow the sudden lump in his throat. For he saw reflected in her eyes the reborn Captain of the Senshi second only to the Queen and the Princess and ... his former fiancé.

Her voice was pitched low but it carried to the General's ears, "I'm sorry General... But I'm going to have to deny you your fun," she said with a determined growl.

Then with a sunny smile she looked up at the beautiful full moon, "It's been really fun," she said in a melancholy tone.

Then as they looked at her in confusion she spun on her heel and dove from the cliff face in a beautiful and perfect swan dive. Tears trailed from her eyes like diamonds in the moonlight, as the fog approached her she fought to keep from panicking.

With a sudden realization she flipped around so that her feet were facing down, so as to maximize her survivability.

And then she was through the fog, the chilly tendrils clutched at her bruised and battered flesh, as miraculously a small lake appeared before her eyes.

And then she hit the water, her speed was so great it knocked the breath from her lungs and she went all the way to the bottom of the lake slamming her legs against the muddy basin. Even underwater a loud crack could be heard as both of her legs broke in several places.

Her arms and now legs useless and her breath gone she could feel her life slipping away her vision was going blurry. And some long buried instinct flared to life, she reached out with all of her power she had left toward the ruined moon palace.

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High above the four dark Generals floated stunned at Sailor-V's desperate jump.

"Well that was bloody," Jadeite began before a sound below them intruded, the sound of a loud splash.

"Tell me that wasn't a splash," Zoicite groaned in dismay, "I mean fun is fun and all but lets just finish this and get back to work."

"Agreed," Kunzite replied and as one the four floated directly over where Minako had fallen through the fog. They each raised a hand toward the fog bank and an orb of glowing white power formed there by each of them. Moments later at an unspoken agreement they loosed the glowing death at the ground below them.

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Several miles away at the Amazon Village of the Joketsuzoku two warriors patrolled the area around the village, when a blinding light came from the direction of Jusenkyo.

"What was that?" One of them asked the other as the light faded.

The other woman turned to the first one and blinked to clear the blurriness from her eyes and restore her night vision. "I don't know..." she whispered. "But we had better get back to the village and report this."

"Agreed," the first woman nodded, and they turned and loped at a brisk pace back toward the village.

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In the mountains opposite of the village of the Amazons three men camped in the remains of a once great dynasty.

One was large and with a tiger striped cloak, one was smaller with wolf furred clothing. But it was the last that was the most striking, he was taller than the shorter but just shorter than the taller man. He had pale hair with two pale blue highlights framing his face. His muscled body was covered in glistening dragon scale and gold armor and a long cloak flowed from his shoulders.

The blinding light from Jusenkyo dazed the first two men, though the last one simply narrowed his eyes at he large blast of power that lit the valley that was so important to their ancestors.

"What was that Herb-sama?" Wolf boy said.

"Shut up Lime," The aforementioned Herb growled. "Gather our baggage we are moving to Jusenkyo."

"Yes Herb-sama," the duo said with a bow.

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On another mountain in the area, men and women with wings like birds patrolled the domain of Lord Saffron.

And like the Amazons they to prepared to send word of the strange lights at Jusenkyo.

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In the opposite direction of the Joketsuzoku a little white cat ran as fast as he was able. He wouldn't let Minako's sacrifice be in vain. He would make it back to Japan and try his hardest to make things right... he swore it.

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On the broken and shattered surface of the moon the once proud remains of the moon kingdom resided until very recently. Now nothing is visiblely left, even the computer that housed a copy of the Queen's consciousness was destroyed by the traitor. But for all of her knowledge the traitor did not know all the plans in play. For hidden from all but the queen a small back up computer lay hidden, deep in the moons surface close to where its core resided. Its abilities were very limited but it scanned for Moon Kingdom energy signatures and transmissions.

Sailor Venus's desperate mental plea was picked up and in the space of a micro second a plan was decided upon. Two other things were left on the moons surface after the traitor tried to destroy all traces of the moon kingdom; both of them were made of imperium silver crystal. One was the broken heart of the castle the small prayer tower, the other though was buried under some rubble and hidden it was the imperial crystal sword, that which the princess used to kill herself after her prince was taken from her.

Needing all assets the computer drained all of the power left in the moon and transferred itself to the crystal lattice of the sword itself. The tower broke down in a flash and flowed into the sword as well. With an explosion of force the sword broke free of the rocks that buried it and floated into the air. In a millisecond it flipped around so the blade pointed toward the earth and more specifically... China.

In the blink of an eye the sword was entering the atmosphere of the planet. Homing in on Sailor Venus's plea. Moving faster than even the dark generals could see the sword whipped past them and the energy blast they had loosed at the girl below them. A split second before the blast hit the sword rammed through Minako's chest and out her back the force of the blade slamming her deep under water and actually pinning her under the murky depths much like a butterfly in a collection would be pined to a board. As the light faded from her eyes she could feel the warmth of the crystal blade as it held her pinned under water, the hilt protruding just above her sternum.

And then... The general's blasts hit.

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One-month later Juban district, Tokyo

"MAKOTO, YOU SUCK!" A drunken voice roared through the night in the sleepy Juban district of Tokyo.

"Now, now Shayla," a softer voice interjected soothingly. "You need to calm down, alright?"

"I DON'T WANT TO CALM DOWN!" an athletic red headed woman with tan skin in her late teens or early twenties. She is evidently the owner of the drunken voice.

"THAT JERK MAKOTO," she yelled before she stumbled and one of the two women with her caught her by the shoulder to steady her.

The two women with her, one is in her early to mid twenties with shoulder length wavy brown hair and an aristocratic bearing to her. The other woman was in her late twenties eerily thirties with kind face and blue hair held high on her head by a hair clip.

The drunken red head suddenly started bawling and hugged the blue haired woman, "Miz," she sobbed and hiccupped. "I tawt dat maybe weed hadda chance but since wee gotted here hees only looke'ed after that stupid robot Ifurita."

The red head named Shayla-Shayla pulled away and stumbled a few steps before screaming again, "IFURITA...YOU SUCK!!!"

The blue haired woman that was named Miz Mishtal looked over to the dark haired compatriot named Afura Mann and sighed, "She's actually handling this better than I thought she would."

"I have to agree," the cool and collected woman said with a sigh and a shake of her head. "Remind me again why we stayed here on earth and didn't return with the princess's, to El-Hazard?"

"Well I'm officially retired even though some how I gained the abilities I once had with the lamp of water, just like my Fujisawa gained his great strength. I wanted to stay here for a while to know my husband's world. And of course Shayla wanted to try and get Makoto in some kind of last minute effort. And you of course said that you were worried about Jinnai and Queen Diva unleashing the Bugrom on this world. "

Afura Mann just looked at here older compatriot with a droll look on her face, "That was a ratorical question Miz."

The older blue haired woman looked sheepish for a moment and just murmured a little "oh."

"It is amazing for all three of us to not need our lamps to use our powers, though," the priestess of air said with a little bit of wonder in her voice.

"I have to agree with you," Miz Fujisawa nodded as they kept an eye on their drunk and heartsick friend.

"I have to be honest with you Miz," Afura said with a serious look on her face. "I've been thinking about retiring myself especially now that I no longer need the lamp of air to have my wind powers. Pass on the lamp to the next acolyte to take over the duties as a priestess of Muldoon."

"Maybe find a little hubby? Huh? Huh?" Miz said with a teasing grin.

"MIZ," The other woman exclaimed loudly in embarrassment, a faint blush on her cheeks.

"ALL MEN AND ROBOTS SUCK!" Shayla roared drunkenly from a few feet ahead of them. They of course sighed and caught up with their inebriated friend.

Of course this is when fate happened to intervene with a loud piercing scream from a jewelry shop half a block away. The two sober priestess of Mt. Muldoon grabbed their drunken partner by her arms and drug her toward the disturbance.

Miz and Afura sat Shayla down next to the jewelry store and asked her to stay there and be quiet. The two sober women peeked into the jewelry store and frowned in shock a shorthaired teenage girl was backing away from some form of creature. The creature was tall and very thin with long boney claws and gaunt leather like skin. The creature was heard to be loudly calling for something called the Ginzinsho.

Miz and Afura looked at each other and nodded, they stood up with determination. Afura brought her hands up and a torrent of air gathered within her palms, with a shout of fury she thrust her palms forward blasting the locked doors apart.

Ignoring the sleepy exclamation next to them by Shayla of something called the big sucker gas slash that made Afura mutter about stupid names. Miz walked forward and smiled with a semi evil grin as she located where the water pipes were in the room.

"WHO!" the creature exclaimed in shock, of course this was all she said as Miz thrust her hand out and shouted. The sprinkler system came on suddenly at her shout and the water began to fall.

"What is that supposed to do," the monster asked with an evil grin of her own.

"Oh, that allows me to do this," Miz responded with smile.

The monster looked confused for a moment when the forgotten girl screamed loudly and pointed behind the monster.

The clawed thing whirled around to see only water in front of her face, she looked up and up and up near the top of the vaulted ceilings a monstrous face formed of water roared at her.

"#&#$," The much smaller thing cursed and tried to jump back away from the water golem. It didn't get far though as a massive clawed hand made of water wiped out grabbed the other beast by the leg. With negligent ease it proceeded to slam her into the floor then swung it over her head into the ground on the other side, over and over again it repeated this. Finally when the clawed thing was nothing more than moaning bloody mess the water golem proceeded to drag it out the door past Miz and Afura.

"Man Miz..." Afura whistled in awe, "that was brutal."

"Care to finish it off?" Is the only reply.

Afura nodded with a grin and the wind began to whip around her feet, "hey remember that thing we saw on the television, with the guns?"

"Yeah?"

"PULL!" Afura shouted and the water monster reared back and flung the clawed thing high into the sky.

Afura thrust her hands forward and a column of air rocketed forth the massive blast hit the clawed monster as it began to descend reducing it to dust in the breeze.

"Well that was fun," Afura said with a sardonic grin.

"Lets check on the girl and then get Shayla to bed."

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High above the Osa-P jewelry store Dark General Jadeite floated with Zoicite. "Just like her majesty Empress Pluto predicted," he said.

"Of course," Zoicite smirked, "Did you expect anything else?"

"No, of course not," Jadeite replied with an angry tone at Zoicite's sarcastic remark. "Well I had better return to Beryl and inform her of the arrival of what 'MUST' be the Senshi," Jadeite smirked himself.

"Beryl is never going to know what hit her," Zoicite smiled evilly.

Jadeites evil smile is his only reply as he opened a portal back to the Dark Kingdom.

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To be continued:

In Only Human: Chapter Fifteen

A scene from Chapter Fifteen

"I found him," Ifurita confirmed, "I just want to warn you though time moved a little faster in the universe he was in."

"How, how...much..." Akane stuttered as she asked the question all of them were thinking.

"Quite a bit of time actually, he has gone through a lot of things since you last saw him," Ifurita paused, sighed and shook her head, "How about I just bring him in so you can talk to him yourself."

"RANMA," She called, "Come on in."

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Endnotes:

Don't know anything about El-Hazard a pretty good faq is over at this web site www (dot) el-hazardonline (dot) net, or you can check over at Wikipedia, okay info there to.

As for the Sailormoon stuff I am using the Manga for the most part, though some anime influences may creep in. The characters mentioned in the beginning that you may not be knowledgeable of are some of Sailor-V's supporting cast or Villans. Her segment takes place near the very end of the last volume of the Sailor-V manga. For some Sailor-V Info check out,

en (dot) wikipedia (dot) org/wiki/codename wa Sailor V

This is unbetaed so forgive me please. And if the inclusion of any Sailormoon stuff upsets you please give me a chance okay? And if the apparent Character Death upsets any Sailor fans also please give me a chance as well, okay?

Thanks again, later.

Signed: Verse12


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